Patient Transport Technician - Patient Ambassadors - 141361

UC San Diego; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 56,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

UC San Diego in San Diego, CA seeks a Patient Transport Technician to move patients safely across the facility using wheelchairs, gurneys, and hospital beds. You will assist with transfers, lifts, and positioning while maintaining strict safety and patient care protocols.

The role requires collaboration with the Transport Call Center, Nursing units, Imaging departments, and other teams to support throughput goals and hospital operations.

Qualifications

• BART or BLS/CPR certification required at time of hire with commitment to get BART within six months.
• Six months experience in a healthcare facility or two years inpatient transport at another institution for Tech II eligibility.
• Must be able to stand and walk for long periods; lift over 50 pounds; push/pull a gurney or bed with patients up to 300 pounds.
• Must be willing to work overtime, weekends, and adhere to Safe Patient Handling standards.

Responsibilities

• Transport conscious, semi-conscious, and unconscious patients using wheelchairs, gurneys, and beds.
• Assist with lifting, turning, repositioning, and transfers for moderate to total assistance.
• Transport equipment, oxygen cylinders, medical records, imaging-related materials, and other items as requested.
• Collaborate with Transport Call Center, Nursing units, Imaging, and other hospital teams to prioritize transports and improve throughput.
• Identify equipment issues and submit service requests to keep operations ready.

Skills

BART or BLS/CPR certification

Healthcare facility experience

Lift >50 lbs

Stand/walk long periods

Overtime/weekend readiness

Job description

DESCRIPTION

The Patient Transport Technician plays a critical role in supporting patient care operations and hospital throughput by providing safe, timely, and efficient transportation of patients throughout the facility. This position is responsible for transporting conscious, semi-conscious, and unconscious patients to and from nursing units, treatment areas, diagnostic imaging departments, procedural areas, and other care locations using wheelchairs, gurneys, and hospital beds.

Key responsibilities include assisting with patient lifting, turning, repositioning, and transfers for patients requiring moderate to total assistance while adhering to Safe Patient Handling standards and utilizing approved patient lift equipment. The technician is responsible for ensuring patients are transported safely, comfortably, and in accordance with established patient care and safety protocols. In addition to patient transportation, this role supports hospital operations by transporting medical equipment, oxygen cylinders, medical records, Video Swallow Chairs, imaging-related materials, and other items requested by nursing and ancillary departments. The position also manages the movement of empty beds, mattresses, and related equipment between nursing units and designated storage locations to support patient placement and bed availability needs.

This position requires close collaboration with the Transport Call Center, Nursing units, Imaging departments, and other hospital teams to prioritize transport assignments, improve workflow efficiency, and support patient throughput goals. The Patient Transport Technician is also responsible for identifying equipment issues and submitting service requests to Information Technology, Biomedical Engineering, and Facilities departments as needed to maintain operational readiness.

The primary location for these positions will be La Jolla but there will be a requirement to float to our East Campus and Hillcrest as needed.

Depending on experience of the selected candidate, this position will be hired at the Tech I or Tech II level.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• BART or BLS/CPR certification at time of hire with commitment to get BART within six (6) months of hire date.
• Six (6) months experience in a healthcare facility. (Must have worked 12 months as a UCSD Patient Escort or Patient Transport Tech I or have two (2) years' experience of inpatient transport at an outside institution to be eligible for the Tech II level.)
• Must be able to stand and walk for long periods of time.
• Must be able to lift over 50 pounds and able to push/ pull a gurney or bed with patients weighing up to 300 pounds.
• Must be able to independently move an empty bed.
• Must be willing to work overtime weekends as needed to meet the business needs of the department.
• Continuously strives to meet or exceed customer expectations.
• Improves the quality of services provided.
• Follows performance standards.
• Uses time, supplies and other resources effectively.
• Helps maintain a clean, safe and quiet environment.
• Communicates with patients, family members, staff and visitors clearly, appropriately; keeps others informed of work.
• Attends to needs of patients, family members, other staff and visitors.
• Respects the dignity, privacy and cultural values of all individuals.
• Impresses patients, family members, staff and visitors with appearance and quality service.
• Nurtures patients, family members; recognizes excellence in other staff; speaks positively about organization.
• Gives of time, commitment, knowledge and skills to exceed expectations.
• Communicates truthfully.
• Accepts responsibility for one's own behavior and actions.
• Fulfills commitments in a timely and responsive manner.
• Seeks input on own behavior and acts on it.
• Actively seeks new knowledge, skills, ideas and practices.
• Continuously strives for improvement.
• Provides service so that problems are invisible to the customer.
• Encourages, coaches, teaches and mentors.
• Supports team, department and organization-wide decisions.
• Works effectively and equitably with others.
• Provides supportive and timely feedback to assist others in improving performance.
• Recognizes and celebrates accomplishments.
• Completes mandatory annual EOC (Environment of Care) training.
• Clearly demonstrates knowledge of code systems (Code Triage, Code Orange, etc) and what their role is during an activation.
• Completes annual safe patient handling course.
• Completes all required annual trainings.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Six (6) months experience transporting patients in a hospital, skilled nursing facility, or as an EMT.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.
• Must be able to work various locations and hours (including overtime and weekends) based on business needs.

Pay Transparency Act

Annual Full Pay Range: $55,666 - $69,217 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: $26.66 - $33.15

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).