We are supposed to try, but there isn't a rule that says we *have* to. However I have ben sent back to a hospital to pick up a midwife who we'd already told we couldn't bring back. Too posh to get a cab on the hospital account. When I was an A&E nurse I used to volunteer for the transfers, then beg the crew to 'drive around a bit' before returning me to hospital, just so I could have a chance of helping out with an ambulance job. See - I loved it even then. I think that staff can be rude because they don't understand what it is that we do - if I had my way I'd have staff from hospitals and from ambulances doing observation shifts with each other. The more you know about someone's job, the better you can provide care and information to the patient that you are looking after. I'm lucky because I can tell most patients what their 'trip' through the hospital is most likely to be, thus preparing them for what is to come.