Patient Consent

Designed to Protect Patients and Carriers

Fleetseat was created for two reasons – so that first responders could perform the two-person-carry more easily, and to ensure that people who have suffered a lower limb injury or who are otherwise infirm are transported in a way that is both safe and comfortable. 

Patient safety and comfort are important features for first responders. While the two-person-carry is a somewhat effective way of quickly moving someone who is unable to walk, it has never been regarded as comfortable. As for safety, other than carriers trying to avoid letting the patient slip or drop, little consideration has been given to other possible risks that may threaten the health and wellbeing of a person being carried using the ‘two-person-carry’ method. 

This is a significant issue because the two-person-carry requires carriers to put their hands under, and at times, in between the patient’s legs as well as around their back and torso. As a result, there is a very real potential for a person being carried to feel as though they have been touched in an invasive, inappropriate or unwanted way. This may cause psychological harm to the person being carried, particularly relevant for young people or those who have previously experienced sexual abuse. 

In addition to this, it also exposes the carriers, almost all of whom are kind-hearted and well-intentioned people, to possible accusations of inappropriate or non-consensual touching of the person they were trying to help. Although this is unfortunate for those thinking only of helping, the sad reality is that as a society we now know that predators can and will put themselves in positions of trust and take advantage of this privilege. A striking example of this was former USA Gymnastics head doctor, Larry Nassar, who used his position to abuse hundreds of girls. 

Understanding these risks allowed Fleetseat’s creators to design a product that not only makes carrying easier, but also one that eliminates the need for invasive physical contact with the injured person, achieved primarily by shaping the seat and positioning the handles in such a way that any contact would occur with the implied consent of the injured person. Further, instructions on the Fleetseat remind carriers to always seek consent before attempting a two-person-carry.

With the explicit  ‘patient consent’ instructions contained in the Instructions For Use, including how to obtain consent, there is little doubt that Fleetseat is the safest way to perform the two-person-carry.