G2205 - Ambulance service

Operational Details
Ambulance workers administer pre-hospital emergency medical care to patients who are either sick or injured in an accident. They are then transported to hospitals and other medical facilities for further medical treatment. Ambulance attendants are also trained to assess the extent of injuries or illness of trauma victims, patients with respiratory disease, overdose and poisoning victims, industrial accident victims, and other ill and injured individuals to determine emergency medical treatment.

The ambulance attendants may administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), oxygen, bandaging, and place splints on broken limbs, and otherwise stabilize the patient so that during transport they cannot be moved. The attendants may also establish and maintain intravenous treatment (IV), apply adjunctive equipment for ventilation and circulation complications, administer medications, and provide any other required emergency treatment to the patient.

The patient is transported by ambulance to the hospital, attended by one of the two attendants on the scene. The patient is delivered and the necessary paper work is completed, including the documentation and record of the nature of the injury and the treatment provided. They may also assist hospital personnel in emergency treatment, including off loading and transport to the operating room.

Ambulance personnel also ensure the ambulance is maintained, that the medical equipment is in proper working order, and contains the necessary medical supplies. Ambulance services may also be used to transport patients from active treatment centres to extended care facilities or other medical facilities. In this case the medical considerations are relatively simple and it is basically a transportation service.

SIC Codes
000000741 - Ambulance service