Transportation Safety Question

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Specializes in POCU/PACU, Hospice.

Hi there- New to posting here but have been reading for awhile. Anyway, I recently started a new job in a pre-operative unit which I am really enjoying so far but a safety concern has come up. Normally we have transporters to bring the patients down from the floors to the pre-op area, but occasionally they ask us to do it if the patient needs to be monitored or is needed in the OR faster than a transporter is available.

Anyway, while training I went upstairs with a coworker to get a patient, and was surprised to learn that they ask us (the pre-op staff members) to push the patients on a cart/gurney with one hand, and the IV pole with the other. You only get a 2nd nurse or CNA if the patient is on a bed for traction, on a bed because they cannot move to a cart or meets other certain criteria. So we have a bariatric patient (somewhere around 350-400 pounds) who is able to walk to the cart, and an attached IV pole with pump, and I am expected to push this alone. Push a 400 pound man with essentially one arm. We do not have motorized carts nor do we have specially sized carts for bariatric patients.

The entire ride I was struggling to push the man, and the IV line was being yanked as I attempted to keep the pole with the bed because it required so much force. It looked horrible I'm sure to the patient's son who was coming downstairs with us, and the person orientating me just walking behind us all because I have to "learn to do it myself".

Am I being unreasonable in thinking this is unsafe both for staff and the patients?

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

Secure the IV pole to the bed and push the bed with two hands.

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Specializes in POCU/PACU, Hospice.

The carts we have don't support the pumps on the attached pole. I've seen carts that have clips for the poles, but our carts don't have them.

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Yes, that is very unsafe. Mostly for you!! The patient won't be harmed laying in bed with all rails up. And as for your "co-worker", if anyone expects you to be able to push a 400 lb man on a stretcher with no help, they need to stop being a nurse because they lost their mind. Next time say no you won't do it without help. Protect your back and shoulders. I injured my shoulder in my first year of nursing, and I should have said no, I need help. Never do anything you are uncomfortable with and seek out those co-workers who will help you and forget those who don't. That is not teamwork.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
The carts we have don't support the pumps on the attached pole. I've seen carts that have clips for the poles, but our carts don't have them.
I used to carry a small bungie chord to hook the IV to the stretcher
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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

This is obviously a source of potential liability due to the patient & staff safety issues involved. I would suggest talking to your Risk Management & Occ Health folks about this situation because they would probably be the most interested in fixing it.

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I have seen many a transporter use a disposable tourniquet to attach the iv pole to the end of the bed that they are pushing. It seems to work pretty well and they hold up decently.

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Specializes in ICU.
Yes, that is very unsafe. Mostly for you!! The patient won't be harmed laying in bed with all rails up. And as for your "co-worker", if anyone expects you to be able to push a 400 lb man on a stretcher with no help, they need to stop being a nurse because they lost their mind. Next time say no you won't do it without help. Protect your back and shoulders. I injured my shoulder in my first year of nursing, and I should have said no, I need help. Never do anything you are uncomfortable with and seek out those co-workers who will help you and forget those who don't. That is not teamwork.

This! Totally unacceptable. At my hospital we have to have THREE patient transporters push a bariatric bed. Nurses aren't allowed to push beds at all, we only accompany patients who need monitoring, are on oxygen, or those that have infusions running.

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Our hospitals rule of thumb is that if it's more than 35lbs. you need to acquire help to lift/push/pull it. Doesn't always happen but is good in theory. I agree that this needs brought up to risk management and would probably throw something in about the potential Workers Comp claims that a situation like this might create. In the world of budget cuts and cost saving efforts WC claims are a big hit and will probably get the ball rolling.

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Specializes in POCU/PACU, Hospice.

Thanks everyone. The bungee cord/tourniquet ideas are great as well. I will also bring it up to the safety committee.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgical.

Are these regular hospital beds and/or stretchers? Both of ours have poles that can be set up as needed. The stretchers are extra

nice for infusions, because they have poles that can hang IVs running into feet and legs. The bed IV poles are also useful for hanging up power cords and extra supplies.

But this is a bigger issue than simple transport...the hospital should be looking at equipment that can accommodate travel. Things like wheelchairs with room for oxygen tanks, beds with built in IV poles, etc.

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The nurse who was orienting you was wrong for not helping you. The unit that you were transporting the patient from could have offered someone to help. I've been a nurse for 28 years, I don't know of very many people who would have not helped.....especially if they worked together on the same unit!

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