Department of transportation examinations primary care: An intervention project

Commercial vehicles are defined as those weighing more than 26,000 pounds. Imagine a driver that is not medically capable, navigating this lethal weapon down our nation's roads. Would you want to come across a driver with poorly managed diabetes, inadequate peripheral vision, or an undiagnosed neurologic disorder if you are driving the neighborhood carpool? With the changes in the aging population, poor access to health care, and little governmental oversight, this is just what could happen if a driver is medically cleared to drive and legally should not be. Nurse practitioners (NPs) who specialize in the skills of comprehensive history taking and physical assessment are ideally suited to evaluate the health status of these drivers. Because most of these examinations fall easily into the domain of the NP and often appear on their clinical schedules, expertise is needed to make accountable clearance decisions. Armed with the necessary regulatory guidelines to help direct their decision making, NPs can safely and legally evaluate these drivers and help safeguard not only the patient but also the public. By simply referencing a two-sided tool, decisions can be made quickly and accurately and abide within the scope of the regulations. This ensures protection of the driver, the public, and the NP as well.