Questions about becoming a patient transporter

[Adamb83]

I more or less understand what the job entails, but I have an interview today and had a couple of questions I was hoping you guys could answer.

1.) What should I wear? I was thinking suit and tie, since it is better to be overdressed. Opinions?

2.) This is a full time position, what should I expect in terms of pay and benefits if I do get the job. My gut instinct tells me it will be min wage (7.50 an hour), but I was hoping closer to 10.00 an hour. I live in NJ

3.) For people who have worked this job, have you found it enjoyable?

I'm currently applying for this cycle, and am looking for a full time job to make some extra money. I'm really excited about working in a hospital, no matter what job I take, and I feel this would allow me a lot of patient interaction.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[nurseawesome]

I've never been a patient transporter, but I do know/have watched several work.
I don't think they got THAT dressed up for their job interview... business cas should be good.

Have fun with that; personally I think it may be more enjoyable for you to go the nurse's aide route rather than transporter..... but I hate moving people, they're heavy..

anyway, good luck!

 

[schlieren]

1. Suit and tie are definitely overdressing, and you shall wear the uniform jacket they provide anyway. In addition, wear khaki and no jeans, and no casual shoes.

2. It's a menial job in the hospital system.

3. Enjoyable as a volunteer a few hours, at most a day, per week. No fun if I do it everyday, mainly because there's a lot of down time. You have little to chat with your fellow transporters, who most likely didn't go college like you.

IMHO You'd be better off spend time as a research assistant, or a front desk position in a clinic.

 

[Mbeas]

You have little to chat with your fellow transporters, who most likely didn't go college like you.

i partly agree with this; however, i had this job for three years and several college undergrads came through which I become pretty good friends with (none were pre-med though). on the same note, there were other people who were like 50 years old and did this as a career (and did not go to college).

it's a good job though. as for down time, it kinda depends. at the hospital i worked at you get assigned to a certain department for the day. if you worked for radiology or the ED, you would not stop working (which for me was a good thing). however, if you worked for some other departments, you may want to bring a book or some homework.

pretty good pay though...i was making like $12/hr.

 

[curlytop]

1.) What should I wear? Business casual should be sufficient. I wore dress slacks and a silk blouse, with a cardigan.

2.) This is a full time position, what should I expect in terms of pay and benefits if I do get the job. I make about $8/hr. doing this, although it's not strictly patient transport (that's a minor component of my job). I can't attest to benefits as I'm a student employee they don't care much about.

3.) For people who have worked this job, have you found it enjoyable? I enjoy as much as you could enjoy any job, I suppose. I'm at a point in my education where I'm not qualified to do things I'd really love (e.g., being a doctor).


Other things:

You do get lots of patient interaction, and lots of patient FAMILY interaction. It's important, you'll learn a lot quickly about what's appropriate to say, what questions you can and can't answer, how to make their experience as comfortable as possible. You really get that opportunity to learn the social side of being in healthcare.

And most of my co-workers are fellow students, so I have fun with them during my shifts. Like transport buddies!

 

[45408]

You have little to chat with your fellow transporters, who most likely didn't go college like you.

Unless you and your pre-med pals sit around talking about organic chem, why is this relevant? Just shoot the breeze with the "lesser folk."

 

[awasod]

1. Suit and tie are definitely overdressing, and you shall wear the uniform jacket they provide anyway. In addition, wear khaki and no jeans, and no casual shoes.

2. It's a menial job in the hospital system.

3. Enjoyable as a volunteer a few hours, at most a day, per week. No fun if I do it everyday, mainly because there's a lot of down time. You have little to chat with your fellow transporters, who most likely didn't go college like you.

IMHO You'd be better off spend time as a research assistant, or a front desk position in a clinic.

Are you kidding me? Just becuase someone is not attending college, or went to college doesn't mean you have little to talk about. Do you think all of your patients will have gone to college? Working these kind of jobs is an important part of the "pre-med' journey, like someone else stated, it teaches you the social side of healthcare.

I've been an OR orderly, EMT and have a lot of research experience and trust me, interacting with regular people is just as an important skill as learning how to do PCR, if not more.

Its this kind of attitude that causes the people to say some nasty things about doctors (from patients and their families to nurses and other doctors). Remember you are a doctor to help treat and HEAL people, sound impressive at your country club while you talk about how the local gentry live their lives.

But thats just my two cents, and Ill get off of my soap box, take it as you want to.

 

[Waggles]

I'm a patient transporter for my hospital's radiology department. I would recommend wearing a tie (don't worry about over dressing). I make about $11 an hour, with shift differential. It's a pretty fun job as all my coworkers are mainly pre-med students. During down time I either do homework, watch tv, or watch as tests are done, or chat with nurses/doctors.

Overall I love the job as you can see the entire hospital, and there isn't a supervisor breathing down your neck.

 

[rHinO1]

Unless you and your pre-med pals sit around talking about organic chem, why is this relevant? Just shoot the breeze with the "lesser folk."

I agree. This will help you interact with a more diverse group of people than you may have been previously exposed. Besides, as a physician these people will still be in whatever hospital you work at. Hopefully, you will learn to appreciate everyones contribution to the patient's experience and be more pleasurable to work with (i.e. not an elitist d-bag).

 

[schlieren]

To clarify: as a volunteer transporter I enjoy very much talking to peer non-pre-med transporters. I'm still doing that every week, and I talk to them more than other pre-med volunteers do. But if it becomes your daily job, in my experience, you just don't have fresh chat topics with them on a DAILY basis. You will be idiot-like when they talk EVERYDAY FOR HOURS about things like child daycare, lottery and soap TV, and often repeat themselves. Frankly, they often feel bored too. It'd be often more awkward if you bring books to read, worse if your guys' resting area is in the sight of patients.

As to communication with patients it varies. Transportation to radiology tends to be better because you often wait with patients for the machine time, and can talk for more than 5 minutes. Most of the time though, either the trip is too short or the patient is too sick to engage a good talk.

Overall, it's definitely a wonderful volunteering experience. I just cannot see myself doing it everyday.

 

[Adamb83]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I decided to go dress shirt and khakis, and I'm glad I did, because a suit would have been way overdressed.

The interview itself was very informal. The nurse who interviewed me was in a rush to get back to work, and quickly offered me the position. At the same time though, she was very dismissive about the job, almost like "are you seriously applying for this?" so i don't really know what to make of this, lol.

As for the interaction, I don't understand when attending college became equal to IQ. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have the opportunity, and I don't think it's fair to assume that these people are social burdens. Quite frankly, I'd rather sit around and have a normal conversation with someone, then sit with a bunch of pre-meds who only want to talk about med school all day. These forums are stressful enough... 🙂

 

[EMS5]

I worked as a transporter during my senior year of high school....we had to wear scrubs...I was paid 8.44 + shift differentials...

the work itself wasn't all that stellar...you move people all day, probably stock up a few rooms...I enjoyed working with the nurses/techs/docs and got to do compressions once in a while if a ginormously obese patient coded.