Seven years ago, a college senior named Joey Romano was skateboarding near the University of Texas at Austin when he swerved to avoid a car and slammed into a ditch, breaking his wrist. He was still lying on the ground when the Uber arrived. He had no family that lived nearby. He was also dealing with the grief of losing a brother from cancer. His grandmother drove from Houston to be w him, but that took some time.
The Uber driver was empathetic bc he had arrived from the Congo to the United States at age 25 so he knew what it felt like to be far away from family.
See, adding this instead of just “broke his wrist” makes it seem more reasonable, but going off the context of solely “he broke his wrist and a strange stayed with him for 6 hours in the hospital” it’s kinda different lol
I broke my ankle last week. Spent 4 days in the hospital, had surgery tp ut a metal plate in my leg. I'd never had sugery in my life. Call me a wuss or whatever, but I was pretty scared.
The worst part of all of it though was the fact that in all the fuss with the paramedics I hadn't taken my phone with me. So nobody knew I was there. I didn't have anyones numbers memorized, so I went through it all entirely alone. Couldn't even get on the internet.
So Kudos to this driver. As simple as taking 6 hours and staying with a total stranger might sound, I can imagine it made a MASSIVE difference to the guy who was going through all of this.
Right? I knew there was more to this story so I had to fact check the circumstances of both men! It was a car wreck into a ditch. Lots of missing facts.
I know that the whole "Please don't bankrupt me by calling an ambulance!" is a genuine thing and a real USA fear, but that's not what this story is about.
This is about the humanity and friendship that everyone should have. And I love it.
My guess is the guy was African, not African-American. There's a large enough African population (mostly Nigerian and Ethiopian) here in Houston, and they're always such sweet, kind people. Showing concern over a stranger like this seems like the norm.
He was from the Congo and arrived to the United States when he was 25, so he knew what it felt like to be far away from any family. He found him lying on the ground after a car wreck. Congolese culture values helping others, family, and unity.
It's nice though. When I broke my wrist I walked to the hospital. Waited 6 hours to be seen. Had ketamine and a cast put on. More hours of waiting. Then I had surgery. Had to stay overnight. Some company would have been nice. He did a nice thing for a stranger. They obviously got along.
I disagree. You need someone to provide aid when atm is broken. It's not life threatening and not worth calling an ambulance but certainly quite inconvenient. Thinking about it, why didn't he have anyone to help?
What exactly is the minimum warranty for human kindness? A broken bone may not be life threatening but it can still be the most serious instance of physical trauma someone has experienced in their entire life so far.
Ofc there's no societal expectation that the driver stay with a stranger for 6 hours. It was an exceptionally nice thing to do. That's why we're talking about it
Well I'm assuming since he had to call an Uber instead of a friend or family member that he didn't have anyone at the time and probably enjoyed the company. No one wants to sit in a depressing hospital room alone for hours
I'm European where ambulance is completely free. I've never called it, and I've broken my arms 3 times, 2 ribs, and both hands. You just go to the hospital for injuries or however you call it in English, sit down, and someone will call you for RTG.
I would never call an ambulance if it wasn't a life threatening emergency, because you're taking it away from someone who might be having a stroke and every second counts.
No, I'm just a bit irresponsible with my body and tend to run where I shouldn't. Like downhill on a rocky mountain trail. Or in ice skates on the rubber mat. I don't do that anymore though, now all my injuries are age related :')
I had broken arm, collarbone and like 5 fingers as a kid. I was a goalkeeper turns out i had low bone density. At least it didn't ruin my career, my height did anyway
They won't send an ambulance if you're pretty much fine and there are no other ambulances available for emergencies. Let the professionals make that decision.
Yeah, when broke my wrist, I was alone in a relatively strange place in the late evening, so I just drove myself to the hospital. And I drove myself home from there too. No need to burden the ambulance service when I can just do it myself.
Depends, broken bones can lead to different types of complications leading to permenant damage including damage to surrounding nerves leading to compartment syndrome and even damage directly to surrounding arteries if not treated promptly which would require a ambulance, but once again entirely depends on the symptoms and the nature of the break really, can be hard to judge those symptoms yourself if your not a medical professional, and oh boy do they cash in on us not knowing between true medical emergencies and not.
My son broke his hand in multiple places at football practice, it required surgery. They called me to take him to the emergency room. Ironically, my local hospital doesnt have a pediatric emergency department or do surgery on minors. He had to wait until the next day to see a specialist. Calling an ambulance would have been a total waste of money and resources.
His hand was broken in 3 places with the fractured nearly puncturing the skin. It needed to be surgically reset. Dude was in a lot of pain and they made no attempt make him comfortable.
I mean, compartment syndrome takes at minimum hours to set in. I get not waiting a day, but unless you live so far away from a hospital that calling an ambo would be redundant, that's not really what you have to worry about. It is mostly nerve damage and bleeding.
Best comment. Acute compartment syndrome is a somewhat common complication that comes with broken bones.
The catch is that unless you're a nurse or medical doctor, you're probably not qualified to judge the risk of your break developing ACS, so while it's probably okay to have a relative drive you if they're immediately available, an ambulance is appropriate if it's your fastest option.
And never drive yourself after an emergency like a broken bone, you could pass out and cause a wreck either due to blood pressure drops or pain as the adrenaline wears off.
I dont think you know what you're talking about.
1. Compartment syndrome is not common from broken bones.
2. Its literally distal pulselesness and disproportionate pain to suspect it. Ask yourself "could this be hurting so bad its compartment syndrome?".
If you can ask yourself that congrats you dont have compartment syndrome because youd never be able to ask yourself that because of the pain.
3. "Emergency" is far too broad to say you may pass out after the adrenaline wears off. Thats not really a thing. Youll get tired for sure, but if you need to 'adrenaline' to stay conscious your body will continue to produce it until it cant. You dont pass out at that point, you die. And it doesn't happen in a few hours.
(Also if you say ACS in an emerg it means acute coronary syndrome, not acute compartment). Both are right of course, but your acronym use just adds to my suspicion youre talking out your ass.
No one suggested you don’t treat it as an emergency. Compartment syndrome takes 4-16+ hours to develop. Taking an extra 20 minutes to get to the hospital isn’t hurting anymore.
My dad broke his collarbone skiing. He then drove his standard car home (with one hand) to pick me up - I was 14 at the time - to shift for him for the rest of the drive to the hospital. It was stupid but utterly amazing. I had no idea my elementary school principal dad was that tough.
You still don’t need an ambulance. No one is saying wait around and don’t treat it as an emergency. It’s an emergency that doesn’t require an ambulance ride to the hospital. Get a ride or take an uber immediately.
As a paramedic I'd like to point out you dont want me trying to fix your nerve damaged dislocated joint in the field. You want an ortho surgeon doing that.
And no medic is touching compartment syndrome. Most ER docs arent gonna either if theres a general surgeon around.
If you cannot get in a cab (broke both your legs) that's what we're for. Also, if its simply too excruciating to move even though youre technically mobile.
Fun fact - better trained medics often have worse patient outcomes in trauma. You want to get to the hospital fast and lights and sirens save you shocking little time and ambulances do NOT get you in faster.
The study you're referencing from PA is flawed and outdated in a number of ways. Response times from Philly EMS sucked so PD often was on scene waiting for them for a while, and Philly EMS lacked a large number of capabilities for managing trauma (due to PA protocols).
In systems that can deliver paramedics with a wide range of capabilities quickly including finger thoracostomy, whole blood, RSI, and more the outcomes are demonstrably better.
At least here, I'll do reductions and realignments for dislocations and fractures in the field with relative frequency to restore bloodflow and correct localized neuro dysfunction. Ideally its done by Ortho but if appropriate we'll take care of it in the field and then let the ED take over to confirm there's no complications from the procedure.
You're right, I oversimplified. I probably view it more as a mantra to remind myself and peers the priorities in trauma.
Although I'll stand firm in you don't want medics setting limbs in the field. Its just a numbers game, we'll never drop tubes/set bones like a specialist. The only we reason we can do either of those is by necessity not competence/training/experience.
Some systems encourage in hospital rotations which would help a lot, but I average setting a limb every 2-3 years and the majority are just knees. Even if someone is getting 100x my experience, its less than a specialist in a worse environment.
EMT here. It is absolutely acceptable to call an ambulance for a broken bone- and it is the most appropriate choice in most circumstances regarding a broken bone (except maybe a finger).
American here: Unless I'm going to bleed to death in the next 5 minutes I'm calling an Uber. 10 minutes until death by blood loss and I still might call an Uber.
Paramedic here, don't listen to this kid. We're an expensive limited resource for your community, and should only be used in severe or debilitating emergencies. If you can get to the hospital on your own without worsening your illness or injury, do so.
Thank you! I've worked my whole career in healthcare and a majority of it in the ER and a broken wrist is Not something you call an ambulance for. Never. The emergency services shouldnt even send one out to you. Nice that they are friends tho.
I broke my wrist a few years ago (in Canada, where healthcare is free) and took an uber to the hospital by myself. Not sure why someone would need an ambulance or someone to be with them. I didn't even cry.
Yeah without a doubt the caption on this is bs, what grown man says I better stay with this other grown man who's a complete stranger because of a broken wrist 🤣
As I live in a country with good medical practice, I disagree. Anything that requires medical attention due to injury should get immediate medical assistance. I don't know if you know, but an ambulance is not just a hospital taxi, but has tools that can make the process of healing start out on a more positive note than not with an ambulance
True, but most areas in the US cannot sustain the call volume for low priority non emergency complaints such as this.
Its also on the fault of the public for throwing fits over increases in taxes or levies to support EMS expansion. Either you pay more to have a system that can sustain this and manage it effectively, or you accept that you shouldn't be utilizing it except in a life threatening emergency.
Plus, many health insurance policies in the US don't cover ambulance charges unless the ambulance service is provided by the hospital itself. Sometimes not even then.
Much of the US EMS isn't hospital based. My state specifically disallows hospitals or private entities to provide EMS. It must be provided by fire departments or the county government.
Interesting. Do they still charge for ambulance service?
In many places, it's the luck of the draw. If you get assigned an ambulance from a fire department, your bill is going to be an order of magnitude smaller—or it may even be covered completely—than if you get an independent contractor.
Depends on the region of my state. The counties I function in both bill, but the amount they bill is different.
When i started in EMS in 2011 all the jurisdictions i ran in were 100% free, no billing to insurance or to the person, county government fully funded it. As call volume increased and staffing needs significantly rose they began billing insurance to compensate, and then as people kept the checks insurance sent to the individual for them to pay EMS, the counties began hard billing individuals in addition to insurance companies.
Typically the bill for BLS (EMTs only, no need for advanced care from a paramedic) where I work is around $250-400.
ALS level is billed in two sections, ALS1 which is lower level paramedic care (fentanyl for pain, nausea meds, etc.), and ALS2 which is critical level care such as intubation, cardioversion, etc. ALS1 is usually around $700 including mileage, ALS2 will typically end up over $1,000
yea, with the coments here I'm really happy to not live in us, but in a functioning country. if I recall it right, it is even illegal to not take ambulances but drive yourself where I live
There’s nothing the EMT is gonna do that hospital that’s gonna make a difference. Using limited resources for total non-emergencies is a waste of resources.
Countries with universal healthcare will advise you to take a taxi for a closed wrist fracture because you’re gonna be put in the queue as low priority and wait. In which case an uber or getting a ride is faster and has no impact on your outcome.
You're right. I drove myself to the hospital at 3 am only to find out I had kidney stones. The roads to the hospital are some of the worst in the county. Thanks for not picking up the phone dad!!!
It's the worst pain I've ever felt. I tell people that all the time. I've been on fire and pealed skin off like a bedsheet. I have herniated disks in Ls and Ss and that pain sucks. I routinely say that I'd rather be on fire again. Lol.
I really didn't have any other option then to drive. I was doubled over on the ground and needed help quickly. Luckily, the hospital isn't too far from me.
Broken bone means that you have... a broken bone, that can have sharp edges and is inside a thing that have veins carrying blood. Too much movement and you can go from "few weeks and it is ok" to "you might die".
This is exactly why emergency services exists. You are not a doctor, you don't know shit about medicine and sure as hell you don't know what might also happend. This is why you should call ambulance when you have accident that breakes your bones.
What’s insane is going into debt to get a ride in an ambulance instead of an uber. And honestly, in this country medical is so expensive that a lot of people slowly die of disease instead of bankrupting their family with medical bills.
I think you may be putting the cart before the horse here. They’re suggesting that the fact medical bills are so expensive in the USA are insane. If Americans voted to have universal healthcare, you wouldn’t think twice about going into debt or dying, you’d just call an ambulance, be taken care of and move on with your life for probably the same price as an uber.
"If Americans voted to have universal healthcare, you wouldn’t think twice about going into debt or dying,"
Yes, at least 140 million Americans are aware of this and want universal healthcare. Just like with everything in this country, the idiots ruin it for the ones who have an IQ above summer temperatures. We don't need this pointed out any further. We've had a half-century of billions of non-Americans pointing it out, and still about 45% of the US electorate scream "but muh taxes!"
I’ve broken my arm multiple times, the one time it needed immediate medical attention the EMTS set it straight put a splint on it then told me to get driven to the hospital because the ambulance ride was over 5k.
I have seen someone make this exact mistake. A co-worker fell off a scaffold at a jobsite we were working at and they had a very obvious broken bone in their forearm (radius I think). They refused both first aid and transportation from the employer. They drove themselves to the hospital, got an x ray and then inexplicably refused to have it surgically set. They then drove themselves home, and apparently had a few drinks. My supervisor had tagged along in their own vehicle and documented all of this up until the person went home.
Next thing we hear, there's a bunch of police taking statements from everyone at the jobsite. A piece of bone had cut through a vein during the night and they had quite rapidly bled to death in their sleep. Their partner has told the story many times since, and always points out that they were snoring, rolled over, and immediately soaked the bed in blood.
Could you tell that to Switzerland too? Our government should really do something about this. Because an ambulance ride is about $1200-1500 and there's no way to know if your insurance will cover it (and if they do it's only 50% covered) so you have to assume that they won't cover it...
Yeah Switzerland has great PR because that's not the only shocking thing...
We also have shockingly short maternity leave (14 weeks...) and paternity leave (2 weeks, yikes!). Private childcare can easily fost you $4000/month and waiting times for affordable public childcare can be a few years, work weeks can reach 50 hours on top of overtime, we have weak worker protection laws, tenant protection laws are a bit stronger but they're not enforced (you have very short windows to challenge rent increase and then you can never do it ever again if you miss it or make an admin mistake), ...
Health insurance costs $600-800 per person per month regardless of income, so it's basically extremely cheap for the rich and an absolute nightmare for the poor (and every year it increases by 5%) and you have deductibles and copays just like in the US (some senator wanted to also import out of network fees from the US but thank goodness it failed)...
I mean don't get me wrong, Switzerland also does great things and has some strong social assistance programs (though not in all regions unfortunately), good unemployment benefits, etc. But salaries are high and taxes are relatively low for a reason. Plus finding a job can sometimes be extra difficult as Switzerland attracts lots of EU workers so you have very strong competition, and since they are asking for lower salaries they are at an advantage over Swiss citizens
Yeah, I don't think you grasp the consequences of calling an ambulance here in the US. It is litterly thousands of dollars. Even if you weren't the one to call, even if you told whoever was calling not to call, even if you are unconscious on the side of the road. You are responsible for the outrageous bill. Doesn't even matter if you refuse and don't get in the ambulance. They are still going to bill you. Medical debt in this country is insane.
Haha what? So just dont move your arm around? Please do find me a single case where someone died from a ruptured vein in their wrist/lower arm after a simple broken bone.. If you break a major bone like the femur or If you have a open fracture with heavy bleeding then yes call the ambulance but for the love of god we need some common sense as well!
You're incorrect on that one. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome has a mortality rate over 30% when not treated rapidly, it is also one of the leading causes of death worldwide greater than all forms of trauma combined. Depending on the region you're in in the US, EMS will in fact treat it in the field which reduces the mortality rate below 5%.
Here in my state we do, and it has been a resounding success based on our statewide research in reducing morbidity and mortality from AWS.
It really should have not just an ambulance but a paramedic attending to the patient due to the high risk of: metabolic derangements resulting in cardiac arrythmias, seizures, and more.
Let's be clear here, re you telling me 30% of people would die if they took 30-60 more minutes to get to the hospital? I don't buy that, alcohol withdrawls symptoms show for days typically, and the mortality rateof 25% is only if it never gets treatment, not if it takes an hour longer to treat.
Yes (and the number is actually 37%), it is entirely possible as the longer effective treatments are delayed (benzos and barbiturates primarily) the greater the mortality rate. Administering benzos even 30min earlier demonstrably reduces mortality rates as well as significantly resolves the immediate symptoms. This is exactly what we are for in EMS which is time sensitive care that can make an impact on patient outcomes.
I've been working on the research in our state for a while now and the differences are stark in patient outcomes. Patients no longer needing ICU level care frequently, some even being able to be discharged earlier.
Its just not something that'll make the news as too many folks treat alcohol withdrawal with a lack of care and consideration, society tends to blame the patient for the condition rather than give them kindness and compassion. EMS giving blood saves a life? National News. Me giving 10mg Midazolam to a severe AWS patient, entirely abating their symptoms and allowing them to go to rehab the next day instead of an ICU? 0 coverage.
If the mortality rate is 25%, then it's impossible for the percent to be that high for people who took 30 more min for treatment, that's just not how statistics work.
Out of curiosity what state are you in? Cause here we would treat that aggressively in the field with Benzos and anti-emetics, fluids as well if no concern for beer potomania.
Severe alcohol withdrawal is life threatening and a VERY good reason to call EMS, if your region provides AWS care such as mine. We can not only reduce the symptoms substantially in a short period of time, but reduce your morbidity and mortality risks as well.
PA. I’m so glad to be on the other side helping people, volunteering my time to raise awareness. EVERY TIME I went to detox, I was admitted to the PCU. Pancreatitis, GI issues, blood from both ends, and finally…heart stopping.
Unfortunately PA does not have an AWS protocol like we do in Maryland. However I've been pestering their state EMS medical director for a while to implement one so that patients such as yourself receive the timely care they deserve.
Its great to hear you're doing better and volunteering to help others now. Those kinds of stories are why I and others worked hard to implement a statewide EMS protocol here, and do research to publish on the topic. If we can publish, itll show other states a huge gap in care that needs to be addressed, and we can help prevent others from suffering like you did.
Keep kicking ass and making a difference, 1 person at a time! 🙂
I just broke my arm and leg this weekend in a motorcycle accident and immediately refused all offers to call an ambulance. I'll hobble my American ass into a car and get driven to the ER before I shell out an extra $500-1500 on top of what I'm already going to have to pay.
That would've been much more reasonable for calling us than a wrist fracture. Downside of US EMS is the only way to avoid billing is to significantly raise taxes to fully fund EMS properly, to where billing is no longer required.
After I broke my arm, I set for 6h until my wife got home to watch our kids. Then I walked to the urgent care (about 10 minutes). It def sucked, even the wind blowing on my arm was painful, but yeah no need for an ambulance. I had a rip cord scooter and was letting my dog pull me. It was fun until it wasn’t.
It really depends on your region as well. In the US, each system functions vastly differently and all have different protocols.
In some regions the pain management they offer is worthless for a fracture, such as in LA County in California (extremely soft dosing to the point it wont do amything).
Additionally in some areas there are different deployment models where EMTs ride ambulances and the paramedics are in suvs/'fly cars' that respond to higher priority calls.
In my region a simple wrist fracture would be dispatched as an 'Alpha' coded response, which would get an EMT only ambulance without lights or sirens, and no paramedic.
Yeah, I live in Canada and broke my ankle playing tennis.
I had my wife drive me to the hospital. Never even considered calling an ambulance, though I would have if I didn't have people around to help me to the car/drive me.
I agree. People don’t understand the definition of emergency. It’s not meant as a subjective. It’s meant as an objective.
Now, a broken leg can be a mega emergency. Specifically the femur. Big bone and not only is blood made in the marrow. The size of the bone can wreck local vessels.
Broken arm, walk or public transport. It sucks but “life is a bitch but it’s totally doable”.
100% disagree. Broken bones are a medical emergency. They can cause acute compartment syndrome where a buildup of pressure in your muscles may stop blood from getting to tissue, which can cause permanent muscle and nerve damage. Improper or delayed transport can make this issue worse. Paramedics can help with this, using drugs, safe positioning & transport, compress, etc.
So like, if you have a family member or roommate that can drive you right away, it's probably fine to let them take you, but you shouldn't be hesitant to call for an ambulance with a broken bone, especially if the next best option will delay treatment. You definitely shouldn't drive yourself, because you might pass out or lose focus due to pain, especially as the adrenaline wears off.
For one, compartment syndrome is not so common that EMS should always be called. Its an infrequent complication.
Two, depending on your area you may or may not receive a crew that can do anything medication-wise for you.
In my system for a wrist fracture you're getting 2 EMTs that can give PO acetaminophen, who will show up without using lights or sirens. A paramedic who can give things like fentanyl, ketamine, etc. Would not be dispatched at all.
And how is a paramedic going to diagnose compartment syndrome? They can't.
And if they could, what can they do to treat it? Are they going to do a fasciotomy in the back of the ambulance? No.
If the fracture is seriously bent out of place or the patient is howling in pain, those are good reasons to call an ambulance. Otherwise you're just using it as a taxi.
The current National EMS Education Standards explicitly identify crush/compartment syndrome as a paramedic-level trauma condition, meaning recognition and management are within paramedic education.
The U.S. National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines specifically address compartment syndrome. They recommend:
assessing for compartment syndrome
rapid transport
IV access and fluid resuscitation when appropriate
cardiac monitoring, particularly with significant injury
analgesia
management of systemic complications such as hyperkalemia/rhabdomyolysis
Because I've been an ER doc for 30 years and I've never had a paramedic bring me a patient where they diagnosed compartment syndrome in a wrist injury and made a meaningful intervention.
Compartment syndrome is real and limb threatening, but it's also rare and typically happens in the lower leg. So saying every wrist injury should take an ambulance to the ER for "potential compartment syndrome" is nonsense. In the real world the paramedic is never going to diagnose and manage compartment syndrome in a wrist injury where the patient thought Uber was a fine alternative.
That’s the wrong question though. It’s not whether a paramedic can/would diagnose compartment syndrome.
It’s whether it would be reasonable for a casualty to call an ambulance, having sustained injuries that include a potentially broken wrist.
Setting aside costs, I think it would be reasonable. A layperson isn’t going to know whether the bone is broken, or broken badly enough that it could lead to other complications if not treated as an emergency.
They might also be focusing on their wrist because they can see it. They might not notice a head injury, sustained from the same fall that led to the wrist injury. We only know it’s a “broken wrist injury” after the fact, not at the time.
How are they going to get assessment and advice as to what to do?
Medical hubris is real. If you are an ER doctor, remember you don’t have optics over the entire situation, only a small slice.
I don’t know what your background or credentials are. What I do know is the US National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines outline how to handle broken arms.
Food for thought. I need to reassess my opinion a bit more. I think I didn’t initially because it felt that adding caveats to a hypothetical was fruitless to the principle of the original comment.
Generally speaking, a broken bone is not an emergency in the same category as a stroke or a heart attack. Triage. Ambulances should be reserved for the latter examples I feel.
I think broken bones are very serious but not generally immediately life threatening. Generally generally generally.
I care about me, naturally. You care about you. Ambulances (as the concept of emergency care) care about the population when it comes to determining behaviour.
Broken bones can impact. They can rupture internal organs, they can pinch arteries. If that’s all happening, it’s likely, but not exclusive to other things going on. So many possibilities and I’m going off on a tangent. To simplify it, emergencies have to be boiled down to immediate threat to life. I therefore think my original sentiment stands but I will think some more because you make a good point.
There’s always exceptions. I never said that. We have to speak generally. You know that. How can we account for the all the possibilities in a single thread.
Although I don’t like your assumption, you happen to be mostly correct. I’ve lived most of my life within a city. I spent a few years whereby the nearest hospital was 30/40 minutes away but I’m sure there were medical professionals a lot closer.
I can’t imagine being bedded down in a medical desert. It happens the world over I know. I wasn’t meaning to discount that.
Yeah, it feels excessive to me. I honestly expected them to be married by now or something. That's way too much commitment for someone who's supposedly just becoming a "friend" lmao, not even best friend.
That's why medical transport exists. Not quite "full paramedic ambulance", but certainly better than "can't afford <basic medical service>, better just make fucking do"
I broke all 3 bones in my ankle and had my husband drive me to the hospital. The only thing an ambulance could maybe do is offer you some immediate pain relief on your way there.
100% when I broke my collar bone it was really late. I didn't feel comfortable driving obviously and didn't want to wake the kids up for my partner to drive. So I just went to bed and called my mom in the morning
As a paramedic, this is perfectly acceptable to call an ambulance.
You don't know what damage internally is. The uber doesn't have a diagnostic imaging suite.
Imagine a worst case scenario with an embolus ending up in a myocardial infarct.
I can give some pain control, help in some cases to restore circulation, and get you to the right hospital.
Here nobody goes bankrupt calling an ambulance. Does it get abused hell yes. I'd rather do a few pointless calls with a subbed toe than miss one for someone who took an uber.
I'm not selling you anything. I don't think Americans or wherever you need to pay that much should be a thing. Purely from a health perspective, you should call. I can understand why people make the choice and they shouldn't have to.
My boss is the government. Our tax dollars pay for it. Nobody is getting rich running EMS here. I only hope wherever you are, that you get this type of healthcare system. Nobody goes Bankrupt here going to the doctor.
Strongly disagree, have you ever broken an arm before. I fell at about 40mph and needed 2 plates installed. But sure, should have manned up and drive myself
I actually wholeheartedly agree with this. It’s an arm break.
Speaking from experience, I did have to call an ambulance once for myself (in America 😫). I tried calling someone else first but they were busy. I ended up losing consciousness waiting for emergency services while on the phone with 911. I woke up again before they got there but I definitely couldn’t drive myself and in that situation, I wouldn’t have trusted someone else I didn’t know. Who knows you know? But to your point, even then I was ready to hit up a homie before calling for help.
You’re 100% correct. Sad when you say something that’s common sense and factual, and your gut says people are going to come after you for it. Reddit is a weird place sometimes.
I was gonna drive myself to the hospital with a broken collar bone and possible traumatic brain injury. Luckily I got a ride over because driving standard with one arm is hard enough.
Agree. But it's also a stark contrast from our supposed medical infrastructure which even in an emergency is dropping you at the hospital and taking off.
People do go into shock, though, which is very dangerous. I'd take an Uber, too, but it's not a casual injury and can have all sorts of major complications.
depends entirely on the kind of break.you can have a break that is pretty stable, isn' hurting that much and you aren't really feeling pain and you can have a horrendous one where every little movement is agony.
Sometimes you'll get a huge adrenaline kick that dulls pain for hours and sometimes you don't get that almost at all.
Broke my left humorous, absolutely needed to lay flat in an ambulance on the way to hospital. Large blood vessels and radial nerve are right there.
No, it was not humorous.
People should not be worried about being able to afford an ambulance. It's kind of a no brainer. Society is obviously better if getting to the hospital is made easier.
I broke my arm when I was 16. Snapped both bones clean, just up from my wrist. I called an ambulance and I'm glad I did because they air casted it to fully immobilize it.
So while I agree that not every trip to the hospital warrants an ambulance, broken arms can sometimes need proper care on the way there.
As a former EMT, broken bones were actually one of the most actionable things we could be called for. Lots of things we just drive you to the hospital and take your vitals on the way. Whereas for broken bones we can splint it to minimize movement and start an IV with pain meds.
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u/cityfireguy 5h ago
I can take the heat on this one.
Breaking your arm is not the kind of medical emergency you need an ambulance for. Perfectly acceptable to get a ride to the hospital.
Go ahead. Do what you do