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  • 1.  Transferring patients out of vehicles

    Posted 09-08-2025 12:47

    Good afternoon, 

    I am an Ambulatory Nursing Educator in NH and I am looking to see if any other organizations have a policy on staff assisting patients in and out of vehicles. Do you have specific guidelines for staff to follow? Are they required to have safe lifting/transferring education? Our policy currently states that staff are not to be assisting patients out of vehicles however we think there may be instances where it is appropriate for staff to do so, if following safe transfer precautions.

    Thank you all,



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    Sara Geoffroy
    Clinical Educator
    Milford NH

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  • 2.  RE: Transferring patients out of vehicles

    Posted 09-09-2025 11:28

    This is very timely as we are working on this at Vanderbilt Ambulatory Clinics. We are looking at putting a policy together that allows for staff to transport to the vehicles but not to assist patients.  The patients need to have help with them if they are unable to ambulate or move on their own. The team working on this felt that the patients should be ambulatory and staff would be putting themselves at a possible injury risk to help some of our patients.

    Thank you and I appreciate any feedback.

    Joanie Jeannette

    ANO, Vanderbilt Adult Ambulatory Clinics     



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    Joanie Jeannette ANO
    Associate Nursing Officer, Ambulatory Nursing
    VUMC
    Nashville TN
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  • 3.  RE: Transferring patients out of vehicles

    Posted 09-09-2025 11:33

    Greetings,

    This year, our organization established guidelines for transferring patients. Our policy allows staff to assist patients out of the car and to a wheelchair or other assistive device. The vehicle is to be at the front of the building, and staff can use a gait belt or transfer board as needed. We do not allow for lifting or the use of any lifts, nor are our staff to go to a parked car to assist. We created a competency for gait belts and transfer boards for our staff to be signed off on as part of our annual skills this year.

     

    Thank you,

     

    Sharon J.J. Peacock, MSN-Ed., RN, AMB-BC

    Professional Development Generalist, Sentara Ambulatory Services Division

    Chair, AAACN Staff/Patient Education SIG

     

    Office: 434-654-4529    Email: SJPEACOC@sentara.com

    590 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 323, Charlottesville, VA 22911

     

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