Lit Review #3

Harley Parker

Morrison/ Shade

Senior Project

10-2-13

Lit Review #3

           

My essential question is what skills I need to know in order to be a patient escort. I choose this question because this is what I will be doing during my volunteer hours. It will be very important to know what skills are required to do my job. My first source is Tips When Handling Wheelchairs. The author of this article is from the state compensation fund of California. This is a reliable source because it in a government agency writing an article to help citizens. My second source is an interview with the director of Voluntary Services at the VA hospital, Tracy Williams. This is a reliable source because she is responsible for overseeing all volunteers and was once a volunteer herself.

            There are several skills a patient escort should have. A patient escort is responsible for taking patients to and from there appointments if they cannot go by themselves. The first important skill is to know how to maneuver and use a wheelchair. It is important to always make sure the brake is on when the patient is not moving. When applying or releasing the brake, brace your opposite hand onto something for stability. Also try to push rather than pull the wheelchair. Another important tip is to push down on the back of the wheelchair when going over small bumps, thresholds, or in and out of an elevator. Avoid hanging heavy bags or other objects on the back of the chair. This can cause the chair to become unbalanced or tilt backward. Also, it is recommended to back down slowly when descending slopes and ramps (Tips when Handling Wheelchairs). Another important skill is to observe patients who may be at a risk to themselves and to others. This comes from being observant and knowing what signs to look for. Patient escorts should alert a nurse or officer if they believe a patient is a risk. Also patient escorts should make sure that patients are comfortable and calm and to function as a companion to patients. This is the most important skill. A few words can affect a patient’s entire day. It is important to interact with patients and talk to them. Most of them enjoy having someone to talk to (Williams).  These skills will all help to make a great patient escort.

           

This research has really answered my question. I have learned what skills I will need to be a patient escort. I also know what I need to work on to do a better job. I found this information very helpful. I also found it very interesting because being a patient escort did not sound interesting. But it turns out it is a very important job in a hospital. This research will help me to complete my volunteer work for my final project.

Works Cited

"Tips When Handling Wheelchairs." State Compensation Insurance Fund. State Compensation Insurance Fund, n.d. Web. 2 Oct 2013. <http://www.statefundca.com/safety/ErgoMatters/Wheelchairs.asp>.

Williams, Tracy. Personal Interview. 30 Sep 2013.