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Electric Wheelchairs
An electric wheelchair suitable for transport
will have the same basic design as the
standard wheelchair with the addition of a
motor and a device for steering. The
steering mechanism will depend on the
physical capabilities of the patient.
Electric wheelchairs are known for being
very heavy, so they are difficult to maneuver
manually. Luckily, electric wheelchairs are
self-propelled, so the patient can maneuver
the chair for him or herself. The MAVO will
generally not need to push or otherwise
maneuver the chair unless the electric
wheelchair loses power or otherwise breaks
down.
Wheelchair Design Features
While wheelchairs come in various types
and configurations, there are some features
to wheelchairs that are common and define
wheelchair use. Being familiar with them
will allow the MAVO to better use
wheelchairs to move patients.
Wheelbase
A typical wheelchair has two fixed wheels in
the back, and two smaler rotating casters in
the front. The rear wheels do not steer the
chair – they are designed to roll over
obstacles such as steps or curbs. The front
wheels provide the chair with all direction
changing ability. The small casters rotate
360 degrees and are responsible for the
chair’s ability to change direction. All the
wheels can spin independently of the others.
Brakes
Brakes on most wheelchairs are simple
friction mechanisms that prevent the wheels
from turning by applying friction to the wheel
itself and preventing it from turning. When
the brake is engaged, a metal tab applies
pressure to the whel and locks it in place.
.
It is important to understand that wheelchair
brakes aren’t meant to slow a moving
wheelchair down, but rather to prevent a
stopped wheelchair from moving or rolling
away. While new or well maintained brakes
are generally very effective, there are some
factors that can make brakes less likely to
effectively stop a whelchair:
-
Worn Wheels: If the wheelchair’s
wheels are somewhat worn, they wil
make less contact with the brakes
and thus be less effective at keeping
the chair from moving.
-
Under-Inflated Tires: If a wheelchair
has pneumatic (inflatable) tires and
they are under-inflated, it would
cause the brakes to make less
contact with the wheels and in turn
diminish it’s stopping power.
-
Poor
Brake
Adjustment
–
Occasionally brakes will need to be
adjusted so as to make better contact
with the wheels. This is especially
true of older or poorly maintained
wheelchairs.
It is critical that you pay special attention to
the condition of the brakes when you
transport a patient with his or her own
wheelchair. Some patient chairs will be in
very poor shape and cause accidents.