Stretcher having a motorized wheel

A patient support apparatus for transporting a patient along a floor, the apparatus comprising

• a frame,
• a plurality of casters coupled to the frame and engaging the floor,
• a wheel supported relative to the frame and engaging the floor,
• a drive assembly that is operable to drive the wheel and propel the patient support apparatus along the floor, and
• a foot pedal coupled to the frame and movable between a brake position in which the plurality of casters are braked and a steer position in which the plurality of casters are unbraked, the drive assembly being disabled from driving the wheel when the foot pedal is in the brake position.

A patient support apparatus for transporting a patient along a floor, the patient support apparatus comprising

• a frame including a lower frame and an upper frame that is raiseable and lowerable relative to the lower frame,
• a mattress supported above the upper frame,
• a plurality of casters coupled to the lower frame and engaging the floor,
• a wheel coupled to the lower frame and engaging the floor,
• a drive assembly that is coupled to the wheel and that is operable to drive the wheel to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor,
• a push handle coupled to the upper frame and movable between a push position and a storage position, and
• a control coupled to the push handle and movable to operate the drive assembly when the push handle is in the push position.