A Paramedic is a fully trained, emergency first aid responder who attends both traumatic and medical call outs, usually in an ambulance alongside a second trained Paramedic. Together they race to answer any emergency call and are often first on the scene. Their role is to quickly assess the situation and scenarios can vary every time they attend a call, from a life-threatening injury to minor illnesses and falls. Having Trauma informed training is essential for their highly intense role, sometimes Paramedics work alone, travelling to the scene of an incident on a motorbike and then personally assess any situation when they arrive. Paramedics have an undeniable urge to help people and to serve the general public.
Paramedics will have a basic assessment of the situation they will be facing from the emergency call handler, but it could be something as serious as resuscitating and stabilising a patient, maintaining a person’s airway, stopping severe haemorrhaging, using a defibrillator, applying a spinal splint, administering an intravenous drip, or working in harmony with other emergency services, such as the fire brigade or police. Paramedics must be calm, practical, be able to listen to their patient and respond positively, in a very difficult situation.
Dealing with members of the public in extremely difficult, possibly life-threatening situations, isn’t easy and can be very intense, with most Paramedics working a normal ten hour shift they have to be able to remain calm, focused and tolerant even when exhausted.
