We all love to travel, but sometimes it can be quite an experience. Whether it’s because of medical reasons or an accident, traveling in an ambulance can be one of the most stressful times for you or your loved ones. We want to make sure that your next trip in an ambulance goes as smoothly as possible, so we’ve put together some tips on what to expect from traveling by ambulance.
Ambulance Transport
Ambulance transport has come a long way since the days of horse-drawn carriages. In the beginning, ambulances were simply private cabs that carried a stretcher and were called when someone needed to be transported. As time went on, private citizens began to volunteer their cars to transport patients in emergencies, which led to the creation of volunteer ambulance corps.
In the 1920s and 1930s, many cities began municipalizing their ambulance services as part of their public health departments. They also began training paramedics at this time. The 1940s saw the first use of helicopters as ambulances, which allowed for faster transport over longer distances than ground vehicles could manage.
Expect to Be Questioned
In an ambulance, besides the patient, there are often just three different sorts of passengers. The ambulance driver, the paramedics, and the emergency medical technicians are those people.
While you’re in the ambulance, you should expect to be questioned by the paramedics. They want to know your medical history and if you have any conditions. They will also want to know what medications are being taken or if there are allergies. And if there is a family history of heart attacks or strokes in your immediate relatives (parents, grandparents). If someone is having chest pain, these questions are important because they can help determine how aggressive treatment should be for that person.
If a patient has been having palpitations or any other symptoms that suggest cardiac problems, they may ask if the patient has ever had previous heart problems or surgeries related to those types of issues before.
Expect to Be Charged
The amount you’ll be charged depends on a few factors, like if you have used emergency or non-emergency ambulance services. If your ambulance ride is for a short distance, or if your ambulance is driving to the closest hospital with the necessary equipment, then it’s likely that you’ll be charged based on miles traveled. However, if your trip requires travel outside of normal business hours (i.e., after 5 p.m.), expect to pay for each hour of motoring time and any additional costs associated with driving outside of normal working hours (such as tolls).
In some cases, such as when an ambulance transports multiple patients at once or drives over 100 miles per hour to reach its destination quickly, an hourly charge may apply instead of mileage rates alone.
The only vehicle permitted to exceed the posted speed limit in an emergency is an ambulance, which is exempt from the rule for all other vehicles, including police cars. When the ambulance’s sirens are activated, other cars are expected to pull aside and make room for it to save lives.
Expect to Be Fed
When your ambulance service arrives, you can expect to be fed. The paramedics will find out what kind of food you like and make sure that there’s something for you to eat. They may also ask if you want something to drink. Most services provide water bottles and snacks for their patients. If, for some reason, the service doesn’t have any food on hand (this is rare), they’ll let you know what nearby restaurants are open so that they can bring something from there.
The paramedics can also provide a blanket if it’s cold out or a pillow if it’s been a long ride and your neck, is sore from sitting up all this time.
Bring an Important Belongings Bag
When you’re in an ambulance, you don’t want to be left without the essentials. If you’re going to be there for a while, bring your food and water. It’s also good to bring your medications if possible (but make sure they aren’t expired). If you have any comfort items, such as blankets or stuffed animals, these can come in handy when riding in an ambulance.
Inside the ambulance, you will notice other bags. Basic life support and trauma kits are among the medical items that can be included in a jump bag. Usually, paramedics take this first when they arrive at the site of an incident. Basic yet crucial medical supplies, including bandages, drips, medicine, and syringes, are frequently found in jump bags. It features extra compartments for organizing goods because it is larger and more complete than a typical first-aid kit.
Bring Comfortable Clothes
When you’re in an ambulance, there’s a good chance that you’ll have to remove all of your clothes before being transported. The reason for this is that ambulance crews need easy access to all parts of your body. This means that if you have a back injury, for example, the EMTs will want to be able to lift and move your shirt so they can see where it hurts. You might also be asked to remove articles of clothing such as pants or shoes if they are restricting movement or interfering with other equipment (such as IVs).
Because of this possibility and others like it, it’s best not to bring any items with buttons or zippers and instead opt for ones that are easy to remove and don’t restrict motion. Clothes with drawstrings work well because they can simply be pulled over the head without having any worrying about getting tangled up in them while lying on a stretcher during transport.
The same goes for shoes. Flip-flops are ideal because they come off easily. However, a pair of sneakers will suffice too! Just make sure whatever footwear choice may make sense given where an ambulance driver is taking you after leaving their station.
If you know that you need to be transported by ambulance, make sure you’re prepared for it. Just bring an important bag with all of your belongings, and consider bringing your food and water as well!
