About This Career

Transports patients to areas such as operating rooms or x-ray rooms using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds. May maintain stocks of supplies or clean and transport equipment.

This career is part of the Health Science cluster Support Services pathway.

A person in this career:

• Lifts or assists others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
• Transports patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.
• Disinfects or sterilizes equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment.
• Cleans equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, or portable medical equipment, documenting needed repairs or maintenance.
• Responds to emergency situations, such as emergency medical calls, security calls, or fire alarms.
• Changes soiled linens, such as bed linens, drapes, or cubicle curtains.
• Carries messages or documents between departments.
• Transports portable medical equipment or medical supplies between rooms or departments.
• Cleans and sanitizes patient rooms, bathrooms, examination rooms, or other patient areas.
• Collects and transports infectious or hazardous waste in closed containers for sterilization or disposal, in accordance with applicable law, standards, or policies.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
• Work in this occupation involves bending or twisting your body more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Exposed to disease and infections more than once a month through work such as patient care, laboratory work, and sanitation control
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves use of special protective items such as a breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suit, or radiation protection
• Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves walking or running more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Maintaining a body position that prevents falling when in an unstable position
• Using muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring
• Short periods of running, jumping, or throwing
• Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
• Exerting oneself physically over long periods of time without getting out of breath
• Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying objects
• Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

• Rotating shift work
• Weekend work