Calling an Ambulance

[Beach Hut]

Today I was waiting for Mrs Hut and Mini at Widewater Lagoon in Shoreham as I had been to check out my beach hut at Lancing to work out the demolition routine.

Anyway cycled back to Widewater and bought a coffee then chaos as apparently a large lady had fallen over on the beach and had a suspected broken arm.

Several people appeared to ring for an ambulance so we set off to the church for the start of the Beach Dreams children procession as Mini was doing it.

Anyway I digress so when I returned about 90 minutes later after the parade the kiosk bloke told me eventually the ambulance arrived after 45 minutes to take away person with a suspect broken arm.

Now when Junior broke his leg playing footie we took him by car from Shoreham to Worthing Hospital so what justifies calling an ambulance in your opinion ?

Personally I think she should have been driven there and no requirement to call out an ambulance.

How serious an injury would justify you to call an ambulance ?

 

[DC Rules]

As a first aider, we are told on our course to call an ambulance for every head bump...working in a boys school, that would be about 10 times every day!

I tend to call one if someone unconscious or been unconscious (under health and safety at work rules, its law you have to call one), and also if they can't be transported safely. I wouldn't call one for a suspected broken arm, if thats the only suspected injury.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I personally do not think a broken arm justifies an ambulance.

My flatmate fell out of the loft and was in severe pain and was severely winded. I drove him the the RSCH as he was conscious and could manage to get there without assistance from medical staff. They are stretched enough as they are without unnecessary cases.

Ps Did you call my landlord/friend? I haven't seen him at all this weekend.

 

[Rangdo]

Today I was waiting for Mrs Hut and Mini at Widewater Lagoon in Shoreham as I had been to check out my beach hut at Lancing to work out the demolition routine.

Anyway cycled back to Widewater and bought a coffee then chaos as apparently a large lady had fallen over on the beach and had a suspected broken arm.

Several people appeared to ring for an ambulance so we set off to the church for the start of the Beach Dreams children procession as Mini was doing it.

Anyway I digress so when I returned about 90 minutes later after the parade the kiosk bloke told me eventually the ambulance arrived after 45 minutes to take away person with a suspect broken arm.

Now when Junior broke his leg playing footie we took him by car from Shoreham to Worthing Hospital so what justifies calling an ambulance in your opinion ?

Personally I think she should have been driven there and no requirement to call out an ambulance.

How serious an injury would justify you to call an ambulance ?

Maybe no one could lift the fat cow into their car?

 

[Beach Hut]

Maybe no one could lift the fat cow into their car?

Funnily enough it was mentioned she was rather portly to say the least.

 

[DC Rules]

and I would call one if I suspected a heart attack, or for a burst varicose vein (you can bleed to death in just 10 mins from one of those)

 

[Beach Hut]

Ps Did you call my landlord/friend? I haven't seen him at all this weekend.

Negative three of us will demolish it two weeks today and a friend has a van ready to remove it all.

Should be fun as Junior is wielding the sledge hammer

 

[Lady Bracknell]

I wouldn't (and didn't) expect an ambulance for a broken wrist last year.

And I remain embarassed at the attentions I received from the ambulance service when I had my little incident at Lewes FC. However, Tim Stephenson insisted on calling an ambulance because of how seriously I'd broken my ankle and how quickly he said I needed to be got to hospital. But if I'd had my way, I'd have limped off quietly and caught the train into Brighton!

Whether ambulances are justified tends to depend on any other injuries sustained at the time. So if the suspected broken arm person had also managed to knock themselves out then it'd make sense to call an ambulance. But for an arm alone, I'd have thought getting yourself to hospital was the most appropriate option.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Negative three of us will demolish it two weeks today and a friend has a van ready to remove it all.

Should be fun as Junior is wielding the sledge hammer

Good stuff.

If there is any decent timber, it would be a shame to waste it. I am sure the Brighton & Hove fishing museum could do something with it.

 

[Mr deez]

Bloody song and dancers. During my broken limb history I -

1) Broke my leg - walked home and knocked about the flat for a few days before getting up the a&e

2) Broke my arm - continued snowboarding down the slope, went for a swim, popped into the docs next morning to get strapped up.

Any broken bone has to be pretty damn serious to warrant an ambulance in my book.

 

[British Bulldog]

I personally do not think a broken arm justifies an ambulance.

Sorry BOF but you are so wrong, When little bulldog got kicked by a new forest pony and number of years ago it broke his left arm and I insisted on an ambulance being called, and it was lucky I did because his arm swelled up so much the blood suply was lost and they had to open the whole forearm up to save amputation.

When he broke his right wrist a few weeks back playing football the St. johns refused to call an ambulance for his broken bones, The surgeons found his fork breaks had come to rest on his main nerves and one wrong movement could've caused irrepairable damage.

What may look like a simple broken bone can be very dangerous in the wrong circumstances!

 

[Barrel of Fun]

BB - I guess I am wrong on that front! I made a crass generalisation and didn't consider that there are varying degrees of broken arms.

Little BB seems to get a lot of breaks for junior football! I dread to think what the future holds for football!

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Even i would have called an ambulance for that. you can never be too careful. The ambulance service prioritises on need, and if you dont need an ambulance, they wont send one out. Even I cannot carry out a full assessment on the person's need. If th person were to have broken their arm, and gone into shock, its much beter for them to go into an arrest due to shock on the ambulance than in the back on someone's car!!!

As britishbulldog said, even though the st johns do an excellent job, do not depend on them. My friend broke 3 discs in his neck (C1,2,3) and they took his american football kit off over his head and made him walk to the st johns ambulance! The doctors saw him immediately, and said to him that he could hae been paralysed from the neck down if he were to move any more!

 

[Gully]

With my minimal knowledge of first aid I know that if you suspect that someone has a back/neck injury then they should not be moved unless absolutely necessary, that is to say if there is great risk to their life by leaving them where you found them.

I have only called an ambulance on a couple of occasions and am wholly convinced that it was the right thing to do. The first time was for an old lady who lived over the road from my parents, she had fallen over in her home and was unconscious...her husband called me over and I was really worried that she would die before the ambulance arrived, I was concerned that if I had to administer CPR that I might collapse her rib-cage. The second time was last year following a road accident, this doddery old git had just t-boned a car that drove across his path, he appeared to be going into shock...lucky he didn't as the ambulance took about 30 minutes to arrive.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

With my minimal knowledge of first aid I know that if you suspect that someone has a back/neck injury then they should not be moved unless absolutely necessary, that is to say if there is great risk to their life by leaving them where you found them.

I have only called an ambulance on a couple of occasions and am wholly convinced that it was the right thing to do. The first time was for an old lady who lived over the road from my parents, she had fallen over in her home and was unconscious...her husband called me over and I was really worried that she would die before the ambulance arrived, I was concerned that if I had to administer CPR that I might collapse her rib-cage. The second time was last year following a road accident, this doddery old git had just t-boned a car that drove across his path, he appeared to be going into shock...lucky he didn't as the ambulance took about 30 minutes to arrive.

I think even the random person from the street knows that!!!

BTW: If CPR is necessary, then do not worry about collapsing / breaking ribs. Ribs can be fixed! Remember now that it's 30 compressions to 2 breaths rather that 15 to 2 now

 

[Barrel of Fun]

BAG, I remember when you were worried about changing courses and wasting time, more money :blah: But you seem to be in your element. I am glad things have worked out for you.

I was unsure about changing courses, but so glad I did.

Good on ya, girl. You would appear to make a fine nurse.

 

[British Bulldog]

BTW: If CPR is necessary, then do not worry about collapsing / breaking ribs. Ribs can be fixed! Remember now that it's 30 compressions to 2 breaths rather that 15 to 2 now

Blimey when did that change? Just goes to show how little the average person knows about basic first aid but they'll still chuck people in cars and take them to hospital.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

BAG, I remember when you were worried about changing courses and wasting time, more money :blah: But you seem to be in your element. I am glad things have worked out for you.

I was unsure about changing courses, but so glad I did.

Good on ya, girl. You would appear to make a fine nurse.

Aww thanks!! That's made me feel even better in my pissed up state!!

I'm enjoying my course so much at the moment, its really brilliant! I start night shifts on monday night though, so am a bit nervy bout that, but the staff are so good there

Ooh, just remembered it was 5 compressions to 2 that it used to be! Anyway - with adults its 30:2 breaths, children 15:2.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Blimey when did that change? Just goes to show how little the average person knows about basic first aid but they'll still chuck people in cars and take them to hospital.

It changed this year. It's only started to be implemented, but its so much more effective at keeping the blood circulating.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Aww thanks!! That's made me feel even better in my pissed up state!!

I'm enjoying my course so much at the moment, its really brilliant! I start night shifts on monday night though, so am a bit nervy bout that, but the staff are so good there

Ooh, just remembered it was 5 compressions to 2 that it used to be! Anyway - with adults its 30:2 breaths, children 15:2.

Pissed!? A nurse!? I would have thought you would know better!

You'll be fine. My ex-flatmates girlfriend was a (Ox Brookes) nurse, as was a good friend. They said that the night shift was fairly easy as most patients sleep it off. Good to hear that you are enjoying it. There is nothing worse than doing something you do not enjoy. I am sure the Southampton gand are in good hands!