You have just delivered a major trauma patient to the hospital. Shortly after departing the hospital, dispatch advises you of another call. The back of the ambulance is contaminated with bloody dressings and is in disarray, and you are in need of airway equipment and numerous other supplies. You should:

• A. Advise the dispatcher that you are out of service and to send another unit.
• B. Continue to the next call.
• C. Try to restock while driving.
• D. Return to the hospital to restock.

Answer: (A)

The situation tests safe operations and readiness for new calls. Because the back of the ambulance is contaminated with blood and you’re missing essential airway equipment and supplies, you’re not in a position to safely handle another patient until you’re decontaminated and restocked. Declaring that you’re out of service immediately informs dispatch to reassign the call, ensuring that another unit can respond and that you won’t compromise patient care or crew safety by taking on a new assignment in an unsafe condition. Restocking and decontamination are required before you resume service, and this is the fastest, safest way to keep the system functioning without putting anyone at risk. Restocking while driving is unsafe, and returning to the hospital might be done as part of restocking, but the correct first step is to inform dispatch and go out of service so coverage is maintained.