Hospital Porter Course

Lesson 1 • Role and Responsibilities Overview

Defines the scope of the transporter role and its place in the care team. Connects daily duties to patient safety and hospital workflow.

Lesson 2 • Professional Conduct and Appearance

Covers dress code, punctuality, and behavioural standards expected of transporters. Reinforces how professionalism directly affects patient trust.

Lesson 3 • Healthcare Environment Orientation

Introduces hospital layout, department functions, and navigation strategies. Builds spatial awareness essential for efficient transport routes.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Infection Prevention

Explains how pathogens spread in healthcare environments and why transporters are a transmission risk. Grounds all subsequent precaution practices in evidence.

Lesson 2 • Hand Hygiene Techniques

Demonstrates correct handwashing and alcohol-based rub procedures with proper timing. Directly reduces cross-contamination between patients and environments.

Lesson 3 • Equipment Cleaning and Disinfection

Teaches proper cleaning of wheelchairs, stretchers, and transport aids between uses. Prevents equipment from becoming a contamination source.

Lesson 4 • Standard and Transmission Precautions

Covers contact, droplet, and airborne precaution categories and their transport implications. Ensures correct PPE selection before entering isolation rooms.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Safe Body Mechanics

Explains spine alignment, centre of gravity, and load distribution during physical tasks. Provides the biomechanical foundation for all subsequent transfer techniques.

Lesson 2 • Fatigue Management and Self-Care

Addresses physical fatigue risks in high-volume transport roles and strategies to manage them. Connects self-care habits to sustained safe performance.

Lesson 3 • Pushing and Manoeuvring Equipment

Covers correct posture and grip when pushing wheelchairs, stretchers, and beds. Reduces cumulative strain from repetitive transport tasks.

Lesson 4 • Assisted Patient Transfers

Teaches two-person and mechanical-assist transfer methods from bed to wheelchair or stretcher. Ensures patient dignity and transporter safety during transfers.

Lesson 1 • Understanding Patient Safety Culture

Introduces the concept of a safety culture and the transporter's role within it. Frames safety as a shared responsibility, not solely a clinical function.

Lesson 2 • Fall Risk Assessment Basics

Teaches transporters to read fall risk indicators on patient charts and wristbands. Enables proactive precaution selection before transport begins.

Lesson 3 • Responding to Falls and Incidents

Provides step-by-step response protocol when a patient falls or an incident occurs during transport. Emphasises immediate notification and documentation.

Lesson 4 • Safe Patient Positioning During Transport

Covers correct positioning in wheelchairs and on stretchers to prevent falls and injury. Connects positioning choices to patient diagnosis and mobility level.

Lesson 1 • Stretcher Operation and Safety

Covers stretcher height adjustment, rail operation, locking mechanisms, and brake use. Prevents equipment-related incidents during transport.

Lesson 2 • Pre-Use Equipment Inspection

Establishes a systematic checklist approach to inspecting equipment before each use. Identifies defects before they become patient safety hazards.

Lesson 3 • Equipment Storage and Maintenance

Covers proper storage locations, charging requirements, and routine maintenance reporting. Keeps equipment available and functional for the next user.

Lesson 4 • Wheelchair Types and Selection

Distinguishes standard, reclining, and bariatric wheelchairs and their appropriate use cases. Ensures correct chair selection before approaching the patient.

Lesson 1 • Accompanying Patient Records

Identifies which documents, specimens, and belongings must travel with the patient. Prevents loss of critical clinical information during handoff.

Lesson 2 • Transport Order Verification

Covers how to read, confirm, and question transport orders before moving a patient. Connects order accuracy to destination and equipment selection.

Lesson 3 • Handoff Communication Standards

Applies structured handoff communication when delivering patients to receiving departments. Ensures continuity of care and reduces information gaps.

Lesson 1 • Ventilator-Dependent Patient Transport

Covers the transporter's supportive role when moving patients on portable ventilators. Emphasises strict adherence to clinical team direction during high-acuity transport.

Lesson 2 • Oxygen Delivery During Transport

Teaches portable oxygen tank setup, flow rate verification, and tank duration calculation. Ensures uninterrupted oxygen delivery throughout the transport.

Lesson 3 • Cardiac and Pulse Oximetry Monitors

Introduces portable monitor operation and alarm recognition during transport. Connects alarm response to immediate notification of clinical staff.

Lesson 4 • Drainage Tubes and Catheters

Addresses management of urinary catheters, chest tubes, and surgical drains during transport. Prevents kinking, disconnection, and retrograde flow.

Lesson 1 • Activating Emergency Response Systems

Covers how to call a code, use emergency call systems, and communicate location clearly. Ensures rapid response team arrival without delay.

Lesson 2 • Recognising Patient Deterioration

Teaches observable signs of clinical deterioration a transporter may notice during movement. Early recognition enables faster clinical intervention.

Lesson 3 • Basic Life Support Awareness

Reviews BLS concepts relevant to the transporter's role while awaiting clinical responders. Clarifies scope of action and when to initiate CPR if trained.

Lesson 4 • Fire and Evacuation During Transport

Applies RACE and PASS protocols to scenarios where a fire occurs during active transport. Prepares transporters to evacuate patients safely under emergency conditions.