AMONG the list of reasons to call an ambulance, you wouldn't think a blocked nose would be among them - but according to one NSW paramedic, that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the ridiculous "emergencies" he has attended to over the years.
Tim Booth, who started working as a paramedic in 2016, had a rude awakening when he discovered that only around 10% of call-outs were actually for life-threatening situations.
In fact, the absurd call-outs provided enough material for Booth to write a book about them, titled You Called an Ambulance for What?.
One man requested an ambulance because of chest pain, which simply turned out to be sunburn, and then asked Booth and his colleague to help rub Greek yoghurt on his back.
"Once, I was called out to a man cowering behind a tree, terrified of being attacked by a magpie," he said.
"I've lost track of the number of times I've attended people freaking out after smoking or ingesting marijuana."
Many call-outs come from the same people with the same complaints, Booth added, such as addicts wanting medication and elderly patients.
"I strongly believe the system needs to change where our services are reserved for the real emergencies," Booth said.
"But until then, I'll continue to attend to the sunburn and blocked noses people call the ambos for."
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 30 Jan 25
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