What Kind Of Medical Equipment Onboard Depends On The Type Of Ambulance
An air ambulance is used to transport patients from one healthcare facility to another or to transport someone from the scene of an accident to the appropriate healthcare facility. An air ambulance is staffed with appropriate medical personnel, generally nurses and paramedics and is equipped with basic medical equipment. These medical personnel are trained in emergency medical services and each aircraft contains enough medical equipment to help ensure the patient is safely transported to the appropriate medical facility.
Most air ambulances are either airplanes or helicopter and the size of the aircraft and its medical transport mission will dictate the type of medical equipment on board the aircraft.
Just like ground transportation ambulances, air ambulances used for transporting patients between health care facilities or which are used for admissions or discharges will generally be equipped with basic life support equipment. This equipment includes CPR units, intravenous equipment, monitoring equipment, and some medications.
Some of the medical equipment you may find on a ground, helicopter or jet ambulance are:
- Cardiac Monitor
- Defibrillator
- Respiratory Adjuncts
- Airway Control Devices
- Non-Invasive Blood Pressure Monitors
- Pulse Oximeters
- End-Tidal C02 Detectors
- Intravenous Solutions
- Cardiac and Emergency Medications Portable Ventilator
- Medical Oxygen and Suction Systems
- Power Inverter
If a patient requires more comprehensive medical care, the air ambulance may be equipped with more sophisticated equipment. This may include infusion pumps, cardiac monitors, respiratory support equipment, ventilators and fusion equipment, suction equipment, oxygen with proper cannulas and masks, and trauma stabilization equipment. Each aircraft is also supplied with blankets, pillows, and sheets to help ensure the patient remains comfortable throughout the flight.
Air ambulances which use larger aircraft such as a Lear jet may even include some basic catering for family members accompanying the patients or for the patients themselves.
Each air ambulance is staffed with medical personnel who are trained in providing air ambulance medical care. These medical personnel are typically nurses or paramedics and each has received specialized training which prepares them to provide medical care and treatment while in the air.
Most ambulance transportation is arranged through hospital or emergency services staff and it is up to the air ambulance company to determine the appropriate aircraft for the mission.
