AMA ambulance emergency call taker

[iusedtohavechickens]

I work as an emergency call taker, any questions?

Why am I sobbing my heart out at this thread!!??

I'm shocked that so few calls are life-threatening emergencies. That's awful.

My dad recently had a heart attack at home. My mum (who is not well herself and had a panic attack) managed to call 999 only to be put on hold for ten minutes. The ambulance did make it on time though, and the paramedics were very good with my dad, mum and me (as I had raced there from 40 mins away after my mum called me).

How is the decision made to call for an air ambulance? Is that your decision or someone elses? Just wondered how it works after my husband had a life changing accident and had both the air and land ambulances there for him.

Hey op
Emergency call assessor and dispatcher here 👋

I'd like to know too. Is it perhaps for certain types of injuries that might require a more specialist hospital, eg a neurosurgeon?

(Today there was an emergency near me and both attended. Air was here first but circling for a while, so both got there about the same time. The road ambulance left within 15minutes with full sirens, but the air ambulance left about an hour later).

The interview and training process ensures people who are not up to the job don't make it through. I've not heard of anyone not being able to do the job once those are passed. The interview process took 3 months, training was 4 weeks classroom based followed by coaching (anytime between 2-6 weeks) pod coaching (4 weeks) and then sign off by auditors. All call handlers are audited every month. X

Thank you OP x

Thank you! We always feel proud of the people who save a persons life! Well done to you, you are amazing too x

We try to answer calls as quickly as we can, and only get 30 seconds between one ending and the next one dropping into our headsets. When the system gets clogged with non emergency calls this impacts call answering times. If 111 is busy people call us instead 😔

We have hems desks in the office with us who monitor all calls and will dispatch on jobs that require their services. Often while on a call they will ask for details they need to determine if they need to dispatch or put on standby. Crews can also request their assistance.

Hello 👋 xx

Disappointing to not know your thoughts on this?

As police dispatchers we waste a lot of valuable time re-providing precisely the same information which has already been provided as the ambulance system (where I am anyway) does not allow the call handler to update job information without starting again from scratch.

Hi @iusedtohavechickens

What made you want to go into this type of medical field in the first place?

have you got any family members involved in medical field too?

what have your personal experinces if any ?
have been being the other side of the medical field as a patient then?

what has stood out , made you think about any personal experiences as a patient?
made you see another totally different perspective on the issues affecting NHS then?
that you didn't perhaps realise before so much ect too.

@iusedtohavechickens
How long have you been Ambulance despatch driver 🤔 then?

@iusedtohavechickens

Do you have cctv cameras to protect yourself from violent alchol dependent patients or anyone who is abusive to you in anyway?

Hope so, in the ambulance vans,

if not?.
there should be..

@iusedtohavechickens

Has being a Ambulance despatch driver 🤔 made you realise even more so, that's it's important to look after yourself in all regards?
eating healthier ect.

@iusedtohavechickens

Do you think there should be more outreach or more support in communities for alchol and substance abuse and mental health issues patients?

so there is less pressure on the NHS then?

@iusedtohavechickens

If you had the personal power to also create implement effective changes to make the NHS more efficient for the times we live at nowadays?

what kinds of changes would you possibly create be drawn too then and why in particular so then?

@cerisepanther73 OP is a call handler, not actively out in ambulances. She responds to and assesses phone calls to the service

The OP isn't a "driver" - she answers 999 calls.

Thanks for a really interesting Q&A and for your dedicated work OP. My question is, how is it managed when you might have lots of calls about one incident - like a big motorway accident.

How tough for you was the lengthy selection process and the training for the job? Were there times when you wondered whether you were suitable, or able to do something so stressful?

I also wondered how you feel when on your way to work for a shift -- are you calm, or are you at some level apprehensive, or preparing for a high level of stress?

(Total admiration, OP and all others who do your job -- I'm dreadful on the telephone, even for fairly ordinarily stressful situations...)

She isn't. As the thread title says, she's an ambulance emergency call taker.

Can I be at bit cheeky and ask that you revise the sepsis symptoms? (Not suggesting you don’t know but on a personal mission!)

My brother almost died on the way to hospital and my parents physically carried him into their car. The ambulance dispatch didn’t recognise how poorly he was and thought he had flu. He was immediately taken to intensive care and was there for over a month. Thankfully he is alive, but it could have easily gone the other way.

@iusedtohavechickens

Sorry for misunderstanding your job title role,

i have just woken up,

just wondering 🤔 if there is any aspects of the questions i have asked you could possibly answer?

Thanks for this very interesting insightful questions and answers post 📫 you have set up here too,

Good idea,!

My mother was involved in the medical field as a nurse too..

Just wanted to say thank you. As a lone HCP with a medical emergency, usually at night. Thank you, for the triaging, listening and reassurance.