MAO Manual

All seatbelts – automotive and wheelchair – must be positioned low on the patient’s body, across the bones of the pelvic area and not across the ribs or soft tissues such as the stomach or waist.

Step Stools Some patients can walk, but are either too weak or unsteady to take the larger steps necessary to enter the MAV. In these cases, an ambulatory assist stool may be necessary to assist this patient with entering the MAV.

Seat Belts

Your vehicle is equipped with safety belts on both the driver’s seat and the passenger’s seat. If your van has foldaway bench seats in the patient compartment, they must also be outfitted with safety belts. All passengers in your vehicle must wear their safety belts at all times. Some companies attach a seatbelt to their wheelchairs to secure the patient in the wheelchair. At the start of your shift, you should inspect seatbelts attached to the wheelchair for wear-and-tear. All seatbelts or safety belts utilized in your vehicle should have metal buckles, as opposed to plastic buckles or Velcro fasteners. Regardless of the style of belt or fastener, if a patient’s chair has its own non- compliant belt, you must still use the 9-foot strap to maximize safety so take it inside with you when you are picking up a patient. Box 4-1: Seat Belts Anytime a patient in a wheelchair is attended by an MAVO, the patient should be securely seatbelted into the chair. Since most patients will not have automotive-type belts on ttheir wheelchairs at home, the MAVO should always keep a 9” automotive seatbelt strap handy for transports.

Ambulatory Assist Stool

An appropriate ambulatory assist stool will be solidly constructed from a strong material, have a large surface area for the patient to step on, and have a foot-base that is wider than the stepping area to insure that the stool remains steady when the patient places his or her foot on it. When using an ambulatory assist stool, make sure you:  Position stool directly in front of vehicle door  Stand downhill from the patient  Insure patient is stepping in the middle of the stool, as opposed to the sides Do not use a step stool that does not meet the above criteria. You should definitely not use stools made of plastic that are meant for home use by consumers. These products are not meant for use by potentially unsteady people who may have difficulty with balance. A medical-grade product meant for use by sick or elderly persons is a better choice for an MAV application. Having appropriate equipment, knowing how to use it, and properly monitoring your patient are the best ways to prevent an injury and insure a safe transport.