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Julianne 29th Oct 2014 Activities Officer
Can anyone inform me on the correct amount of staff, you should take on a bus outing. Residents getting of the bus to have lunch at a club or even have a B.B.Q. At a park. At the moment I take around 15 residents out with me and one volunteer.
Margaret 8th Feb 2015 Diversional Therapist
Hi Julianne, i err on the side of safety and take three staff for 3 wheelchairs and 11 ambulant, for lunch outings where residents are getting off the bus.
the reason i take three is after an episode of bowel incontinance on the bus- two staff were needed to deal with her and reassure her in a park pubilc toilet, and another to use the infection control spills kit on the bus.
recently in Tasmania a resident choked and died at a lunch outing to a hotel- so planning for every eventuality is very much in my mind at the moment.
i also take three bags with things we might need,

First Aid Kit
Spills Kit
Towels and flannel
Butter menthols – in side pocket of fawn bag
Water individual small bottles
Plastic Cups
Tissues
Disposable Bowl Vomit x6
Plastic Aprons
Gloves
Wet Wipes
Pads/ disposable pants
Urinal
Spare Pants
Spare Top
Sun Hats and Glasses
Comb
Sweetner for diabetics – in side pocket of fawn bag
Straws
Plastic Bags for disposal of items contaminated by body fluid
Julianne 9th Feb 2015 Activities Officer
How many staff per resident For bus outing even if they don't get off Bus.
Marcia 10th Feb 2015 Lifestyle Coordinator
We have 2 staff for 10 residents at all times
gnette 10th Feb 2015
BUS This would be as per your company policy & Procedure ,However in Vic you may only carry less than twelve or less passengers on a normal license more then that requires an update to your license. Remember risk assessments,Evaluations to support your concerns .
Sharon 22nd Feb 2015 RAO
Hi, we take out 12 residents and one wheelchair and we have the RAO in charge, a volunteer and the bus driver who helps with everything form loading and unloading bus, escorting residents to the toilet and helping with Tea, coffee and BBQ lunch etc, as does the volunteer.
We have a current First Aid Box on our bus, a Spill's box, and another carrrying spare pads, clothes, some old towels, wipes, rubbish bags etc.
dorothy 22nd Feb 2015 diversional therapist
hi Julianne .
i work in QLD and if you are getting off the bus with people with Dementia you must have 1-1 ' if you are going for a drive say 2 hours out and about 2 people DT say and a volunteer with your bus driver up to date with CPR and aware of all policies your facility has in place .
People without dementia the law states that 1-3 .
Also do you know you must have a form that states resident name next of kin , if they are DVA or not phone numbers ect .

I hope this helps i am not sure if these laws are state laws or federal .
all the best
lyn 5th Mar 2015 recreation therapist
Hi Heather, Yes I am expected to feed at least one of the residents each day I am working and sometimes I am feeding them all as there are no nurses around. One day I walked around the hospital and didn't get far as they were sitting at the nurses station chatting. I have also found them checking text messages on their phones. Also the nurses are very busy and expect me to feed them. I feed the residents all who can not feed themselves and non-ambulant very high care. I feed them as they will maybe miss out or eat cold meals. I have discussed this with the aged care C.N and this still continues. Lyn
dorothy 11th Mar 2015 diversional therapist
Hi Lyn
if your CN doesn't listen go to the complaints process that is higher .keep detailed evidence of when and what time
lyn 16th Mar 2015 recreation therapist
Thankyou Dorothy I think this may be the way to go as there is a lot more happening. The thing is most staff know what is to be done but what they do and what they are supposed to do are two very different happenings. I have my P.A D (Personal Appraisal Development) tidied up on Friday the 20th March so I will certainly be digging my heels in.
Cheers Lyn.
Susan 6th Apr 2015 Diversional Therapist
Hi Dorothy,
I also work in Queensland and we have our own organizations ratios that we work with. I have not heard of any actual laws or legislations that apply. would love some more information.

There are a lot of things we must comply with but my high car residents with dementia love going out, so it is worth the effort.

Regards,

Sue
Taryn 10th Apr 2015
Hi,
I work in community aged care, so our clients are all quite able bodied and we have the ratios of 1:7 staff : clients for centre based activities and 1:5 for outings. I find this to work well.
Judy 28th May 2016 Community Care Worker
Hello
I work in a residential facility in Victoria and am seeking information regarding OH&S for bus outings. I will be involved in establishing a policy on this and would be grateful if others could share their policies and procedures or share links that I might find helpful.

warm regards Judy J

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