Signs That You Should Urgently Call An Ambulance
It’s important to know when to call an ambulance or take someone to A&E or to a doctor, especially now that NHS is overwhelmed. Currently, most A&E departments are gridlocked with ambulances queueing for hours just to deliver patients to the hospital. A lot of patients end up spending too much time on trolleys or in the back of ambulances before being assisted. Well, if you are wondering whether to call an ambulance, visit your GP or go to the A&E, here are some useful tips to help you.
Immediately call an ambulance if it is an elderly person, toddler, or a baby as well as if you are very concerned about their condition. You should know that children might mask serious symptoms and it’s easy enough for these symptoms to deteriorate quickly. As a side benefit if you are in need of paramedics for an event you are holding then check out event first aid.
You should administer First Aid and call an ambulance if someone shows the following symptoms:
- If they are not breathing, having chest pain, breathing in a strange way where they suck in the air right below their rib cage, or if they are using other muscles to breathe.
- Having a severe injury and bleeding profusely such that you can’t stop it after putting more pressure on the wound.
- If the person is unconscious or unaware of their surroundings or if they are experiencing numbness, weakness or difficulty speaking.
If they are suffering from a seizure for the first time or even if they have recovered from a seizure. Note that, you should call an ambulance if someone is having a seizure and it lasts for more than 3 minutes.
If someone is suffering from an allergic reaction, you need to administer adrenaline or an auto-injector (if available) and call an ambulance immediately.
If it’s a child or an elderly person who has been burned and it’s severe enough that it will need dressing, start by treating the burn under cool water for 20 minutes before calling an ambulance. Make sure you cool down the burned area until the ambulance arrives but you should be on the lookout for any signs of shock. If it’s an adult, you should cool the area for 20 minutes or longer if the area is extremely painful. You should also apply a dressing or loosely cover it with a cling film before taking them to A&E.
What To Do If Someone Falls
• Start by calling an ambulance if someone falls from a height, has undergone spinal manipulation, has been hit by something going at high speed (car), or has been hit with force during a contact sport or combat.
• Make sure they remain completely still before the ambulance arrives.
Final Thoughts
If the person is on their back, breathing or unconscious and you are worried about their airway, you should roll them into a recovery position and call an ambulance. You can do this by log rolling them into a recovery position but you should avoid twisting the spine if possible. You should have contingency plans so that you can have additional help if necessary. If the person is not breathing or is unconscious, you should start giving them CPR. For a baby or a toddler, you should give them CPR for one minute before calling an ambulance. If it’s an adult, you should call an ambulance immediately. Remember, before moving the person, you need to make sure they don’t have further injuries that might be exacerbated by the move. Wait for the ambulance before moving them to avoid further issues.