Office of Logistics Management (OLM)

Transportation: Inpatients

PURPOSE: To assure the safe and timely transportation of inpatients by cooperative effort between Logistics Management, the nursing units and the transporting personnel.

POLICY: 1. In accordance with the National Patient Safety Goals, John Dempsey Hospital uses the patient’s name and date of birth or medical record ID number as its two forms of patient identifiers. Per the policy: Identification of the Patient (Adult and Children).

1. Ticket to Ride will be utilized for all internal transports of patients within the hospital. See addendum - Ticket to Ride form.
2. The transporting personnel will seek assistance from floor staff when the patient is unable to move him/herself and/or is attached to a number of catheters, monitors and/or lines.
3. Transportation department will be responsible for transportation of inpatients except in those areas that provide their own transportation (i.e., NICU, OR).
4. A nurse must accompany patients during transport if they are receiving one of the following blood products or high alert medications:
   a. Blood and/or blood products
   b. IV chemotherapy
   c. Continuous narcotic infusions and PCA infusions
   d. Epidural infusion or patient controlled epidural analgesia
   e. Epoprostenol (Flolan®) and treprostinil (Remodulin®) – both continuous IV
      or subcutaneous infusions
   f. Heparin – continuous IV infusions
   g. Argatroban – continuous infusions
   h. Insulin – continuous IV infusions
   i. Alteplase (tpa) continuous IV infusions

5. A nurse who has demonstrated competence in cardiac rhythm interpretation must accompany a patient requiring cardiac monitoring.
6. Patients with pleural or mediastinal chest tubes will have a nurse accompany them during transport.
7. A nurse must accompany a patient whose jaw is wired closed on transport and bring appropriate wire cutters to be used in the event of an emergency.
8. A nurse accompanying a patient during transport must remain with the patient unless care can be transferred to another nurse. The handoff to the nurse accompanying the patient must include: up to date information about the patient’s care, treatment and services, condition, and recent or anticipated changes.
9. Transportation personnel cannot connect or disconnect medications.
10. Ticket to Ride is not a part of the permanent medical record.

1. The nurse or clerk will call the Lead Transportation Aide requesting a transport by giving the
   following information:

          a. The last name of the patient to be moved
          b. The location (room number) of the patient
          c. The destination of the patient
          d. The mode of transportation (wheelchair, stretcher)
          e. Information pertinent to the transfer (O2, IVs, pumps, etc.)

2. The unit clerk will label the patient’s name on the Ticket to Ride form and keep it on the unit. Patient information will be protected at all times.
3. The nurse will fill out the Ticket to Ride form and put his/her initials at the bottom.  Point of Emphasis:  a. The patient’s nurse will have the patient ready for transfer (O2 on hand, tubes and lines secured for travel, chart available, as necessary).
4. The transportation aide will report directly to nursing unit prepared to determine the patient’s preparedness transfer the patient with wheelchair or stretcher. The transportation aide will let the unit know they are on the floor prepared to transport a patient. The nursing unit will give the transportation aide the Ticket to Ride.   Point of Emphasis:  a. For OR patients, always check with nurse to determine the patient's preparedness for transport.
5. The transportation aide will introduce him/herself to the patient and address patient by name. Transportation will check two patient identifiers and then initial the bottom of the Ticket to Ride form. Point of Emphasis:  Two patient identifiers are required for patient identification.
6. The transportation aide separates the Ticket to Ride, leaving the yellow copy on the unit and taking the white copy with the patient.
7. When the transport is complete, the staff in the diagnostic or receiving area will note on the white form if there is any change in patient condition or any other necessary comments. The receiving staff person will initial the Ticket to Ride next to the Patient Status area.
8. When it is time for the patient to return to his/her unit of origin, the “Returning Transporter” checks two patient identifiers, initials the Ticket to Ride and brings the patient back to the unit with the white form.