Kern Medical New Associate Orientation Guide

Contact Precautions: Patient Transportation

• When transporting a patient that is on contact precautions, limit transports as much as possible – only do so when necessary.

• Disinfect any touch surfaces on transportation devices, such as gurneys and wheelchairs, and then place a clean sheet for the patient.

o Touch surfaces include handles, rails, levers, etc.

o Use a hospital approved disinfectant and adhere to the correct contact time.

• Patient should be in a clean gown and open wounds should have a clean dressing.

• Receiving unit needs to be notified of proper PPE to accept the patient, and must be in appropriate PPE when patient arrives.

• Transporter does not wear PPE when transporting a patient.

o Eliminates risk of cross contamination to surfaces throughout the hospital.

o Only exception to wearing PPE is if a patient is unstable and requires life-saving measures during transport.

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