Supervisor, Patient Transport Services

Duke University Hospital is consistently rated as one of the best in the United States and is known around the world for its outstanding care and groundbreaking research. Duke University Hospital has 1,048 licensed inpatient beds and offers comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, including a regional emergency/trauma center; a major surgery suite containing 65 operating rooms; an endo-surgery center; a separate hospital outpatient surgical department with nine operating rooms and an extensive diagnostic and interventional radiology area. For 2021-2022, U.S. News and World Report ranked Duke University Hospital nationally in 11 adult specialties: cancer, cardiology & heart surgery, diabetes & endocrinology, ear, nose & throat, gastroenterology & GI surgery, gynecology, neurology & neurosurgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics, pulmonology & lung surgery, and urology. Duke University Hospital is also ranked first in North Carolina and first in the Raleigh-Durham area.

In addition to its hospitals, Duke Health has an extensive, geographically dispersed network of outpatient facilities that include primary care offices, urgent care centers, multi-specialty clinics and outpatient surgery centers.

General Description of the Job Class

The Patient Transport Services Supervisor (PTSS) coordinates all work activity and ensures all Patient Transport Services team members meet high service level standards. The PTSS supervises approximately 30 team members providing transportation services to inpatients and outpatients who need to be moved to and from the unit/clinic and various therapy/laboratory areas throughout the hospital. The PTSS coordinates the movement of patient transport equipment (wheelchairs and stretchers). The PTSS ensures the team understands and practices all relevant safety policies and procedures. They must also ensure the group determines and provides for patient comfort and safety during transport. If the patients being transported must have their clinical state constantly monitored, the PTS team assists clinical staff in doing so. This position works independently and as part of a team.

The PTSS ensures that patient transport requests are addressed quickly and accurately. This position interviews, hires, and evaluates team members and ensures the proper planning, scheduling, and assigning of those on the team daily. The incumbent must have detailed knowledge of the various responsibilities of each team member. The PTSS is expected to design and implement new procedures to satisfy customer needs required by changing conditions.

Duties and Responsibilities of this Level

• Supervises the team that:

• Transport patients to and from units and various therapy/laboratory areas while complying with established policies and procedures while ensuring patient safety, comfort, and privacy/modesty.
• Utilize information systems hardware in conjunction with the Patient Transport information system to acquire and record transactional records regarding all transport requests.
• Follow directives provided by clinical staff regarding the transport request (i.e. proper head elevation, oxygen level, etc.).
• Check two patient identifiers (i.e., wristband, birthdate, etc.) to confirm the correct patient is being transported.
• Follow proper positioning techniques for patients in mode of transport (e.g., wheelchair footrests supporting feet) while also correctly positioning treatment devices such as drainage bags and IVs for transit.
• Observe the patient's condition and that of patient care equipment during the transport and report the occurrence of patient symptoms and equipment alarms to clinical staff upon arrival at the destination.
• Clean equipment following Infectious Disease Control policy. Report defects and safety hazards to the supervisor or Nurse Manager if the equipment is unit-based.

• Interview, hire, and evaluate all team members.

• Prepare team schedules and redirect staff as necessary. Responsible for ensuring adequate staffing levels are maintained in all service areas to meet customers' demands.
• Ensure the complete and proper training of all new team members.
• Ensure all team members are continuously up-to-date regarding educational and employment-specific requirements.
• Ensure all transport equipment functions safely and properly by coordinating with repair vendors and Maintenance and Engineering Services.
• Maintain all files, reports, and support hardware to ensure the computerized patient transport software system functions appropriately.
• Develop departmental performance reports utilizing the Patient Transport system software.
• Maintain employee timekeeping, attendance, and performance records. Work collaboratively with Human Resources to address concerns with employees as situations arise and when counseling or discipline is warranted.

Education:

High school degree or equivalent

Bachelors Degree Preferred

Experience:

• A bachelor's degree or six years of healthcare-based experience/
• Organized and motivated by a fast-paced environment
• Able to manage multiple tasks/projects simultaneously
• Proficient in reviewing and assessing needs quickly
• Strong with the use of computer software tools and data files
• Comfortable with continuous change and self-initiating
• Able to complete documentation promptly and efficiently (will be in the legal medical record and other software systems developed for care management and population-based program metrics)

• Independent critical thinking and judgment are required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to assimilate information and communicate with various groups.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work with diverse groups of people (e.g., race, ethnicity, age, class, and sexual preference).
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• Must have a working knowledge of using computerized word processing and database programs
• Experience in working with multidisciplinary teams is preferred.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.