
When someone is in the hospital, in a nursing home, or in a rehabilitation center, they sometimes need to be transported to other locations. The facilities they are staying in are responsible for this transportation, but often it is helpful for the patient’s loved ones to understand what will be happening. Here’s what you can expect if your loved one is being transported as a patient between to different facilities.
The Patient’s Needs Are Taken Into Consideration
Part of transporting a patient safely is the need for patient transport monitoring. This means taking the patient’s needs into consideration. What will he or she need to be safe and comfortable throughout the trip? This may include the need for IV poles, portable oxygen tanks, or other medical needs. Other options include monitoring heart rates, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and more.
The Patient’s Size and Mobility Abilities Are Considered
In addition to the patient’s overall medical needs, his or her physical capabilities are taken into consideration. Can the patient move on his or her own at all? How old is the patient? How large is the patient? Can he or she move at all? Whether the patient is conscious, semi-conscious, or unconscious is also important, as an unconscious patient will be “dead weight” and need more mobility assistance than someone who is conscious and able to follow some movement directions.
The Equipment Will Be in Good Working Order
Before a patient can be transported between facilities, it’s important that all equipment is in safe working order. Any beds or wheelchairs that are used to transport the patient should have safety straps and wheels that lock into place. If the patient is in a bed, the side rails should be high enough to keep him or her safely in the bed. Shelves should be available if oxygen tanks need to be transported. Other things to consider include whether the transportation device is easy to maneuver, whether the vehicle is large enough to accommodate the patient, and whether the mattress is being held in place the way that it should be.
The Patient Is Transported Safely
Naturally, one of the most important things is that your loved one is transported safely. The right facility will have trained transportation drivers who do not speed and know how to follow all the rules of the road. The facility should check the driver’s record regularly and may even have him or her undergo periodic driving tests to ensure that their driving skills are still up to par.
You Should Be Kept in the Loop
Above all else, you should be kept in the loop about your loved one and where he or she will be. A facility should never transport someone without contacting their next of kin, and this is especially true if it is an emergency transport. If you find the nursing home or rehabilitation center that your loved one is in is not communicating with you, it’s a good idea to find another one.
You want your loved ones to be safe and well cared for when they are in a nursing home or another facility. This means asking what to expect if your loved one ever needs to be transported to another facility. The right place will answer your questions thoroughly and without hesitation.