What To Expect If You Ever Ride In An Ambulance
Hopefully, you never have to ride in an ambulance. But if you do, it will be because you are not doing well and need immediate medical attention. If this happens, you will probably be worked up, nervous, and in pain. This won't be a time when you want to be worrying about what's going to happen or how the ambulance ride is going to go. It's better if you get an idea of what to expect from an ambulance ride before you're in the position to need that ride. So take a look at what happens below.
You'll get treatment before being loaded into the ambulance.
People often assume that as soon as the ambulance arrives, they will be taken inside the vehicle and transported to the hospital. But this is not usually the case. Instead, the paramedics will first make sure you are stabilized. What this involves will depend on your injury or ailment. If you are bleeding, they will try to stop the bleeding before loading you up. If you have had a suspected heart attack, they may give you blood thinners. The point of an ambulance ride is not just to transport you to the hospital; it's to start treatment ASAP.
You may be given a choice of which hospital to go to.
If you are conscious, the ambulance drivers will likely ask you which emergency room you prefer to head to. You can choose to go to one that you know your health insurance will cover. If you are unconscious, they will likely take you to the closest ER. Of course, if the paramedics think you may not make it to a further-away hospital, they will take you to the first one they can reach.
The sirens may not be on.
Many people are shocked when they are riding in the ambulance and the sirens and lights don't get turned on. But in fact, ambulance drivers won't turn the lights and sirens on if they don't need to. If you have a more minor injury, like a broken leg, and taking an extra 5 minutes to reach the hospital won't put you at risk, the driver will probably just go the speed limit and drive with traffic, as this is the safest approach.
Hopefully, you now have a better idea of what to expect on an ambulance ride. It can be a harrowing experience, but the paramedics have your best interests at heart, and their goal will be to get you where you need to go in one piece.
To learn more, reach out to an ambulance service in your area.