We live in a society where cases such as accidents, deliveries, and other health-related emergencies can happen at any time of the day. This is why it is expedient to have readily on-ground people who would respond promptly to such emergencies. However, an ambulance driver is a profession without which immediate response and rescue would be impossible.
An ambulance driver is responsible for operating vehicles transporting sick people and victims of the accident to medical facilities for treatment and from medical facilities after treatment. They also function in police departments and fire services.
Most ambulance drivers receive training as emergency medical technicians to administer emergency care. They also put accident victims on essential life support before getting to the hospital for proper treatment. Hence, if you are considering jobs ambulance driver, it is worth noting that the job requires commitment and readiness to respond when called upon. There could be shifts when there is more than one driver; this allows for rest, so they don’t get worn out.
Being an ambulance driver can be attractive. For this reason, we have teamed up with professional ambulance drivers from job aggregator Jooble to share interesting facts about the everyday life of an ambulance driver. Let’s take a look at the details.
Facts About The Daily Life of Ambulance Drivers
Have you ever wondered how ambulance drivers approach each day? Ambulance drivers are one of the professions you will be called out to daily. Hence, professionals in this field need always be available and committed.
Below are some facts to know about these super life savers.
Getting Ready For The Day
You must prepare for the day in whatever work you are involved in; the same applies to ambulance drivers. They get ready for the day, putting on their uniforms, checking the status of their vehicles, checking every piece of equipment, and ensuring they have up-to-date drugs and other first-aid apparatus intact. All these are important to ensure the smooth running of their operation for the day. You don’t want to be caught slacking as an ambulance driver because the absence of essential equipment can defeat the purpose of your work which is to rescue lives and transport accident victims to medical facilities.
You have to avoid the breakdown of your vehicle while on duty. Hence, it is vital to run a check on everything before you receive your first emergency call of the day.
Communicating With People
Part of what makes the job of an ambulance driver is their ability to communicate effectively. You have to be ready to receive emergency calls and be prepared to respond immediately – every second counts when it’s about saving lives and responding to emergencies.
You must also be able to communicate with the patients to know their needs and what assistance you need to render them. This would give you an idea of what exactly you need to do when you get to the location of the incident.
An ambulance driver also needs to communicate with medical personnel and follow instructions, which could be verbal or written. Communication with other drivers should be necessary b to ensure the safety of the victims they convey and other emergency personnel present with them in the vehicle.
Helping People
A typical day for an ambulance driver revolves around helping people.
- It could be the elderly who had spent all night on the floor;
- it could be a pregnant woman who needs help with delivery;
- it could be running to the scene of a car accident to check for survivors and transport them to the hospital;
- it could also be rescuing people from a burning building, etc.
An ambulance driver helps all through the day. Once ambulance drivers receive a distress call, they do everything within reach to get down to the location as quickly as possible to provide the needed help to victims. Sometimes, they might need to go the extra mile to ensure that the victims are safely conveyed to the hospital, such as providing first aid or CPR before receiving proper treatment.
Training New Ambulance Drivers
It is part of the everyday life of an ambulance driver to train newbies on how to handle emergencies and the procedures they follow when carrying out their duties. Acquiring a driving license is not enough to be fit as an ambulance driver. You need to undergo training for some time. An ambulance driver can also function as a trainer to newbies and teach procedures even as they work.
Conclusion
The work of ambulance drivers is adventurous, from the first call of the day till the time when they sign out. It can also be tasking because you would have to witness first-hand what gives some people a nightmare. Also, ambulance drivers need to be empathetic and be able to calm the victims and allay their fears.
