i just got a call from a hospital for a chance to interview for a transporter position. im a girl and about 100 pounds. could i do this job, what does it entail?
xtxrn, ASN, RN 4,266 Posts Oct 22, 2011 Moving ANY size patient on a gurney that probably weighs 200 pounds empty (easily). Some people who look small are quite strong. Getting someone moving isn't as hard as steering or STOPPING in a hurry :)
JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN 443 Posts Specializes in CVICU. Oct 22, 2011 Just normal strength with no issues like back problems should be able to handle it. I'm not particularly strong even though I'm not a 100 lb girl (I'm a bigger girl than that!), but those carts are in general pretty easy to maneuver and push around. Yes, even with a big fattie on them. I was able to push 400lb patients on enormous airbeds around the hospital for tests with only one other person to help "drive" so we didn't run into walls when I was working the ICU. As a transporter, you probably would mainly deal with the Stryker carts.
roser13, ASN, RN 6,504 Posts Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC. Has 17 years experience. Oct 22, 2011 Height may be an issue....if you're 100 lbs, you're likely not all that tall. Being short can really be a hindrance while moving patients and wrangling carts.
lkk0718 64 Posts Oct 22, 2011 I did one day of orientation in transport. Wheelchairs (patient room to radiology, new admit, etc.) ICU transfers to telemetry, ED transfers to patient room. I would personally think twice about it. The ICU and ED carts are pretty big and bulky to move around. Trying to maneuver a big bed into a small hospital room and then transferring patient from bed to bed was difficult. FYI, all of our transporters at guys. I don't think height would be an issue because I lifted up the carts to my height so I could move them around easier.
beast master RN 129 Posts Specializes in wound care. Has 2 years experience. Oct 22, 2011 could be , i would ask your possible future employer about it
I<3H2O, BSN, RN 298 Posts Specializes in Home Health. Oct 23, 2011 Go to the interview! Start there and then make your decision.
emmanewgrad 214 Posts Specializes in Med-Surg, & ED. Has 2 years experience. Oct 23, 2011 Good Luck! :)
dudette10, MSN, RN 1 Article; 3,530 Posts Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics. Has 12 years experience. Oct 23, 2011 Height may be an issue....if you're 100 lbs, you're likely not all that tall. Being short can really be a hindrance while moving patients and wrangling carts.Being taller than your coworkers is a hindrance too. I swear to heavens that all my coworkers are three feet tall. For boosts and clean ups, I raise the bed to my height, they say, "HEY!" and lower it to their height, then I say "HEY!" and we compromise.
pixiestudent2 993 Posts Oct 23, 2011 thanks everyone im going to go to the interview and see if its something i can do
