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Original poster

What happens to your bag if you’re taken away in an ambulance?

56 replies

Adviceplease123456 · 27/12/2023 21:19

I don’t know why but this has become a recent obsession of mine - I want to know if I’m walking down the street and collapse or get hit by a bus etc - and need to get taken away in an ambulance, what happens to the stuff you have with you like bags etc? If it goes with you surely the hospital staff can’t be responsible for all your stuff if you’re being wheeled around from place to place? I was thinking about a phone for example would they make sure it came with you (thinking could my husband track me on find my friends and find me if something happened etc!)

I know in a life threatening emergency it would be the last thing on your mind, but I often muse as I’m carrying my work laptop around, would it just get lost in all the commotion of an accident never to be seen again?!

any hospital staff know?!

OP posts:
VikingLady · 27/12/2023 23:14

If you saw a bike or wheelchair left behind, could you hand it in at a police station? Like lost property? Is there a police officer on here who would know?

SophiaElizabethGrace · 27/12/2023 23:18

The police will normally take care of a bike and items that don't go with you. I've looked after someone's handbag until it was clear that I could give it to a police officer.

WhatTheFuk · 27/12/2023 23:19

How do people deal with securing their powered wheelchairs if not transported?

Tarkan · 27/12/2023 23:32

I had a suitcase with me when I ended up being taken to hospital when I was on a trip to London. The police took me into one of their buildings at first so I assume one of them took my case for me. I didn't lose consciousness but I just don't remember but it was tucked into a corner of the cubicle in hospital while I was there as it was easy for me to grab when I got to leave but they needed it out the way for the monitors I was on.

caringcarer · 27/12/2023 23:43

It gets taken in the ambulance with you.

UsingChangeofName · 28/12/2023 00:04

I've done several first aid courses where they tell you one of the most important things to do (after airways / breathing) is to reassure the patient. One really good way to do that is to hand them their handbag (or today, their phone).

I've assisted after a RTA involving a cyclist, and the people from the house outside which he got knocked from his bike, took it in for him and gave their number to him so someone could contact them / arrange to get it back when they were ready.

Rocksonabeach · 28/12/2023 00:07

It goes with me - the Epipen I’d used plus number 2 administered by the ambulance crew also went with me - both placed in a plastic bag, sealed bag with the times administered by ambulance crew next to me. Hand bag was zipped up. And mobile phone placed on the top. Handbag next to me at all times.

Doglover19 · 28/12/2023 00:18

My mum was took to hospital in an ambulance and I walked into her cubicle in a&e and there at the base of her bed was her shopping and a mop and bucket she had been in town buying 🤣 I couldn't stop laughing .. Its the butt of the family jokes whenever we mention mum , hospitals and her mop !!
I warned her when she got discharged no way am I walking thru the a&e department carrying a mop and bucket ! Lol

Original poster
Adviceplease123456 · 28/12/2023 07:46

Oh my god - being on my period when taken to hospital is another thing I wonder about too 😂

this is amazing - what a whole lot of extra admin for hospital staff, but thank you all for solving one of my 3am musings…!

I shall wander the streets at peace with my laptop now knowing it will probably stay with me…although maybe I should be asking the staff to accidentally lose it to give a bit longer without work…

OP posts:
User478 · 28/12/2023 08:34

MeinKraft · 27/12/2023 22:56

I want to know what the hospital staff do with the random things they find inside people's bodies...lost dildos, knives, bits of javelin etc. is there a special bin? Do they go in with the bodily waste? Also what happens to all the bits of body now I mention it. All the placentas and manky old gallbladders and so on. And full limbs? What if you get your leg removed, where does it go?

If it is returnable it is returned (or offered at least)

If not (and this is at the HCP's discretion) it goes in the offensive waste bin (along with outer dressings and other things contaminated with bodily fluids) -yellow and black bags.

In the "olden days" there used to be championship of largest/most unusual item removed from un expected location and occasionally the item was passed about (hopefully still bagged!) to prove it But I suspect this is done on WhatsApp now.

Limbs and other go in a red bag and are incinerated. Unless they contain/might contain infectious items when they get a biohazard sticker too (but usually still get incinerated -unless the lab need it for public health reasons)

Footle · 28/12/2023 08:39

A long time ago I was knocked down by a car ( not very hard ) and put in a thingy so I couldn't move my head while waiting for a CT scan. I felt my tampon was leaking and asked what to do about it, and the (male) nurse changed it for me. He was obviously quite used to doing this.

Polyethyl · 28/12/2023 08:53

What about if you're walking a dog. Do the Police take in the dog whilst you are taken to hospital?

Toomuch44 · 28/12/2023 08:57

I'm pretty sure ambulance crews are trained to think of these things. A different scenario, but DD had an accident years ago. The focus was to keep DD relaxed, so I carried on holding her. One of the ambulance crew asked if he could go and search for certain things I might need.

Mariposistaa · 28/12/2023 08:59

Polyethyl · 28/12/2023 08:53

What about if you're walking a dog. Do the Police take in the dog whilst you are taken to hospital?

I always worried about this too. I reckon so.
I have bought some little cards from the internet to put in my purse with am emergency contact number saying ‘if I am in an emergency situation please call X to care for my pets’, with my mum’s number. Would work if my dog and cat were at home or if she had to be called to come and collect doggo if he was out with me and there was an emergency. Our American friend aet me onto that, it’s a good idea.

CormorantStrikesBack · 28/12/2023 09:07

I saw a cyclist hit by a car once and gave first aid until the ambulance came. The ambulance wouldn’t take the bike. The police were there by then, I offered to show ID to the police and look after the bike (I’m a cyclist and was worried about the bike) but the police took it.

TheRealKatnissEverdeen · 28/12/2023 09:12

Paramedics are truly brilliant in those situations. I was in a horrific accident and almost died but none of my items were misplaced and my phone and purse were given to me at the hospital post op.
I was cognizant enough to ask them to carefully remove my shoes without cutting them off as I'd just purchased them in New York. In the circumstances that really should been the least of my worries but they obliged.

icebearforpresident · 28/12/2023 09:41

20+ years ago my mum fell seriously ill and spent 6 weeks on life support, despite most of her organs starting to fail she still got her period. The ICU nurses lay a big pad underneath her which was regularly changed and my mum cleaned up.

I only know this because I had told one of the nurses her period might be due, mine was always about a week or so before hers, and the nurse explained how they managed to me.

happinessischocolate · 28/12/2023 09:43

When a lady fell outside the corner shop, the ambulance took all her bags and her dog with her

SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 28/12/2023 09:47

It goes with you.
Unless, like my dmum, you collapse at the Safeway Cafe and some scumbag immediately sees an opportunity to nick it.

VikingLady · 28/12/2023 10:04

TheRealKatnissEverdeen · 28/12/2023 09:12

Paramedics are truly brilliant in those situations. I was in a horrific accident and almost died but none of my items were misplaced and my phone and purse were given to me at the hospital post op.
I was cognizant enough to ask them to carefully remove my shoes without cutting them off as I'd just purchased them in New York. In the circumstances that really should been the least of my worries but they obliged.

When I was a teenager I ended up in A&E. Waiting for an operation slot to open up they told me my top would need cutting off, and I was so upset about my waistcoat that I'd seen myself that they went to an awful lot of effort to wriggle me out of it!

They cut the T shirt off though. That was fine 😁

Jifmicroliquid · 28/12/2023 10:07

It goes with you to the hospital.

TooFondOfBooks · 28/12/2023 18:58

When it comes to sanitary protection if you get an unexpected period on top of an unexpected trip to hospital (& you’ve nothing of your own with you, can’t access hospital shop/Deliveroo etc & nobody can bring stuff in^) you’ll be provided with maternity pads until you can manage to provide your own/you’re discharged (as applicable).

Possibly some Trusts/Boards [now] provide actual sanitary towels (I’d imagine NHS Scotland are working on it, at least…) but the maternity pad = usual for years. (I’m not some kind of weird hospital secret shopper. I would totally accept payment for it though - disability benefits really aren’t all the tabloids make them out to be…

^in fairness, looroll in knickers is not a long term solution so even if someone is bringing you stuff it’d need to be arriving imminently to count here

PinkBuffalo · 28/12/2023 19:04

Ambulance crew made sure I I did have all my stuff with me before taking me to hospital

DarkForces · 28/12/2023 19:14

MeinKraft · 27/12/2023 22:56

I want to know what the hospital staff do with the random things they find inside people's bodies...lost dildos, knives, bits of javelin etc. is there a special bin? Do they go in with the bodily waste? Also what happens to all the bits of body now I mention it. All the placentas and manky old gallbladders and so on. And full limbs? What if you get your leg removed, where does it go?

They gave the sticker dd shoved up her nose back to me!

Dh's stuff got stolen (not by ambulance staff, before they arrived) when he was unconscious. Some people are bloody awful

CharlieHadAPigeon · 28/12/2023 19:45

Buttons0522 · 27/12/2023 22:51

Gosh this is the type of thing I ponder frequently. I’ve wondered what would happen if I were on my period and admitted in similar circumstances (knocked unconscious etc)? Would I be provided discreetly with sanitary items? Would I be left to develop TSS because nobody knew??! Something that clearly worries me in my subconscious!

I’m glad it’s not just me! I have nightmares about this all the time. What if you’re unconscious - they’re not going to check if you’ve got a tampon in. Very unlikely to happen of course. No idea why my subconscious is so hung up about it.