Van Driver

BASIC FUNCTION

The Transportation Driver/Transportation Aide is responsible for providing safe, timely, courteous, and reliable transportation services for residents to and from medical appointments, therapy visits, dialysis, hospital discharges, community outings, and other approved destinations. This position ensures the safety, comfort, dignity, and confidentiality of every resident while maintaining all facility vehicles in a clean, safe, and operating condition.

The Transportation Driver serves as a representative of August Healthcare and is expected to promote resident safety, dignity, customer service, and the organization's mission while providing transportation services in accordance with all applicable federal, state, local, and facility regulations.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Resident Transportation

• Safely transports residents to physician appointments, dialysis, therapy appointments, hospitals, diagnostic testing, community outings, and other approved destinations.
• Assists residents entering and exiting vehicles using proper body mechanics and safe transfer techniques.
• Properly secures wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen equipment, and other mobility devices according to manufacturer recommendations and facility policy.
• Performs resident transports while maintaining dignity, privacy, comfort, and respect at all times.
• Conducts resident safety checks before departure, during transport, and upon arrival.
• Ensures residents are never left unattended in a vehicle except as permitted by facility policy and only when resident safety can be maintained.
• Verifies resident identity prior to transportation.
• Assists with admissions, discharges, hospital returns, emergency room transports, and other resident transportation needs as assigned.

Vehicle Safety and Maintenance

• Completes and documents daily pre-trip and post-trip vehicle inspections.
• Maintains facility vehicles in a clean, sanitary, and orderly condition.
• Ensures vehicles remain properly fueled and stocked with required emergency and safety equipment.
• Immediately reports vehicle accidents, mechanical concerns, safety hazards, traffic citations, or maintenance needs.
• Ensures all required inspections, registrations, maintenance schedules, and insurance requirements are maintained.
• Operates all vehicles in accordance with defensive driving principles and all applicable federal, state, and local traffic laws.

Resident Care and Communication

• Observes residents during transportation and immediately reports changes in condition, injuries, behavioral concerns, complaints, or emergencies to licensed nursing staff.
• Communicates transportation delays, appointment changes, or scheduling concerns promptly to appropriate departments.
• Ensures physician paperwork, discharge instructions, therapy documentation, medication information, and other required paperwork accompany residents when applicable.
• Maintains resident confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and facility policies.
• Maintains positive communication with residents, families, physicians, hospitals, dialysis centers, therapy providers, and outside vendors.

Safety and Compliance

• Successfully completes competency training in wheelchair securement, resident transportation safety, defensive driving, safe resident handling, and oxygen transportation.
• Safely transports residents requiring oxygen while following all applicable oxygen safety procedures.
• Maintains a valid driver's license and an acceptable Motor Vehicle Record that meets facility insurance requirements.
• Immediately reports any suspension, restriction, revocation, or change in driving privileges.
• Complies with all infection prevention and control policies during transportation.
• Participates in emergency preparedness activities and may assist with resident evacuation when necessary.

Customer Service

• Demonstrates professionalism, compassion, and exceptional customer service when interacting with residents, families, visitors, physicians, hospitals, and fellow team members.
• Promotes a positive image of August Healthcare within the community.
• Demonstrates teamwork and willingly assists other departments when transportation responsibilities permit.
• Consistently attends work and provides appropriate notice for scheduled absences.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Administrator or designee.

EXPOSURE RISK

The Transportation Driver/Transportation Aide is considered to have moderate risk for exposure to blood, body fluids, infectious diseases, and other potentially infectious materials while transporting residents.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Reports directly to the Administrator or designee.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

None.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• CPR certification preferred upon hire and required within facility-established timeframes.

EXPERIENCE

• Previous experience transporting elderly, disabled, or medically complex individuals preferred.
• Experience working in a skilled nursing facility, rehabilitation center, hospital, assisted living community, or healthcare setting preferred.
• Experience operating wheelchair-accessible transportation vehicles preferred.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

• Current valid driver's license.
• Must maintain an acceptable Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) that meets facility insurance standards throughout employment.
• Must successfully complete defensive driving, resident transportation safety, wheelchair securement, and any other required competency training.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Works indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Frequently enters and exits vehicles throughout the workday.
• Frequent standing, walking, bending, reaching, kneeling, lifting, pushing, and pulling.
• Subject to frequent interruptions.
• Works with residents, families, physicians, hospitals, dialysis centers, outpatient providers, and facility personnel.
• May transport residents with physical disabilities, dementia, behavioral health diagnoses, or oxygen therapy.
• Subject to exposure to blood, body fluids, infectious diseases, odors, and emergency situations.
• May be required to work weekends, holidays, extended hours, or emergency schedules to meet resident needs.
• Mobile phone use is permitted only during scheduled breaks and unpaid meal periods unless authorized for business purposes.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to walk, stand, sit, bend, stoop, kneel, climb, reach, push, pull, and lift throughout the workday.
• Must possess sufficient vision and hearing to safely operate motor vehicles.
• Must be able to safely assist residents during transportation using proper body mechanics.
• Must be able to push occupied wheelchairs over ramps, sidewalks, parking lots, and uneven surfaces.
• Must be able to lift or assist with mobility equipment, supplies, and resident belongings weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Must possess the emotional maturity and sound judgment necessary to respond appropriately during emergencies.
• Must be able to communicate effectively in English.
• Must maintain flexibility, personal integrity, professionalism, and the ability to work effectively with residents, families, physicians, coworkers, and outside agencies.
• Must maintain good physical and emotional health necessary to safely perform the essential functions of the position.

I further understand this description identifies the essential and primary duties and responsibilities of the job and is not intended to detail or contain every duty inherent to the position.