[AMA] I'm a Paramedic - Ask Me Anything! [Trigger Warning - Heavy Content]

sween64 on 23/10/2017 - 16:12
Last edited 23/10/2017 - 16:40

I'm a paramedic working in Australia, I have been for over 3 years. It's a great job and I'm glad I kinda fell in to it. I work in a large metropolitan city, mainly in the suburbs but we can end up almost anywhere!

It requires a 3 year bachelor degree and can be studied at universities all over Australia, some of them are double degrees with nursing.

I work a variety of shift lengths including during the day and over night.

Go ahead, ask me anything!

The views expressed here are those of myself and not of my employer.

Trigger warning: There's some emotionally heavy content and may be some gruesome stuff as well.

Introduce Yourself

closed Comments

    • sween64 on 26/10/2017 - 09:19

      We have fire services dispatched to cardiac arrests to provide CPR and airway management, it's been the case for ages. Their response times are fantastic.

  • pressPlay on 25/10/2017 - 18:13

    1) Do you tend to drive faster and more aggressively (eg more sirens) in trying to get to a job, versus transporting a patient from an accident scene back to the ED?

    I would imagine having a patient onboard would require a bit more care especially if they're being treated in the back.

    2) Do you take turns with who's driving? Are there guidelines for this, or is it just mutually agreed?

    Thanks for the great job you guys do!

    • sween64 on 26/10/2017 - 09:23

      1. Even if we are transporting that patient to the ED using lights and sirens the drive is definitely more sedate. That's for patient and colleague comfort as well as making it easier for the colleague to attend to the patient. It's called maintaining a stable platform.

      2. Yep. Usually the shift is split in the middle and we change half way, it's through mutual agreement.

  • JetBombat on 25/10/2017 - 19:38

    Favourite way to chill out after the shift?

    • sween64 on 26/10/2017 - 09:23
      +2

      Rocket League

  • avgbowlofpho on 25/10/2017 - 21:35

    Have you come across a "certified patient"/ deceased patient?

    • sween64 on 26/10/2017 - 09:24

      I've seen quite a few deceased patients but none that have been certified by a doctor before we get there.

      • avgbowlofpho on 26/10/2017 - 10:13

        have you entered a morgue?

  • syousef on 25/10/2017 - 22:33
    +1

    First of all thank you. I have a wife that use to require an epipen, and had misdiagnosed posterior shoulder dislocation that would dislocate far too often (170+ over a 10 year period or so) until we found a surgeon who did the right procedure to fix it, an asthmatic daughter who has also had repeated croup and had a few ambulance rides, and an elderly father who likes to do stupid things like mix ammonia and bleach when cleaning the floor (recipe for chlorine gas for those that don't know). Without people like you, I don't doubt I'd have a lot more misery and tragedy in my life. (Perhaps I've been lucky but I've never met a paramedic that did their job badly!)

    I'd like to ask you a different kind of question: Do you have any stories of heroism or people taking extreme measures to try to save a child, spouse, relative or friend. Whether they did or didn't work out, whether they were futile or well measured responses, I'd really like to hear about the positive side of human nature. Because I'm beatting you see both extremes.

  • Piranha2004 on 26/10/2017 - 09:04

    Actually I did have a question, a work colleague of mine told me once that when his father passed away the paramedics couldnt/wouldnt take him to the hospital as he had already passed away. He had a heart attack while taking a walk and collapsed onto the local pavement. He said that they transported his body to his home (which was a few hundred meters away). They had to call another service to take the body to the local morgue. Is it true that you arent able to transport the deceased and need to call someone else to transport the body?

  • tulalit on 26/10/2017 - 09:34

    Thank you for what you do! Really appreciate that you are giving back to community.
    I had to call an ambo once due to early arrival of my 2nd baby. Didnt expect her to arrive so early and my hubby became the emergency midwife with 000 on the phone.
    Anyways, when the ambo arrived - the paramedic said it was the biggest smile and relief that he had seen! My hubby was so tense and panic. The lady paramedic assisted me. It was so good to have male and female paramedics on the scene. He was attending to my hubby and she was attending me.

    Questions:
    When we call 000 and asking for ambo. Does the operator allocate the ambo around the area? If so, do they put you guys through on the line so you guys can listen what's happening? The operator was on the phone throughout the delivery of the baby. She only hung up when the ambo arrived.

    How do you keep yourself calm when all the ppl around you go into panic mode?

    Everytime you go on a shift, do you have a permanent partner that you go on shift? OR each shift you are allocated to different paramedic partner?

    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 17:20

      No. We have a Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) that will have details of the presentation and notes from the taker (eg "Imminent labour" husband attempting delivery of newborn").

      The people around are panicking because they don't know what to do, we know what to do and are trained to control the scene.

      It depends on your own working situation, usually you have the same partner for the month. In some circumstances you might have a different partner every day.

  • tik tok on 26/10/2017 - 10:13

    From what you know, how common is drug use amongst emergency response workers ?

    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 17:17

      Illict substance abuse is very uncommon.

  • Yaren24 on 26/10/2017 - 14:16

    Hi OP, no offence here, but how do you find a gf when you are working as a paramedic?

    • hell0 on 26/10/2017 - 16:23

      Wouldn't almost half the people he deals with are a g/f.

    • [Deactivated] on 26/10/2017 - 18:09

      A fit young guy in a uniform-are you kidding?

  • RappyGreens on 26/10/2017 - 14:23

    Hi there!

    Quite a few questions for you :)

    Backstory: Started my bachelor in business information systems early this year and am due to complete around mid 2018,and have been working in the childcare industry since I finished VCE in 2014.I always wanted to become a pediatrician or a paramedic, however, unfortunately my family circumstances didnt allow for me to take focus on studying. Reading your AMA, I am considering doing another degree to become a paramedic.

    Questions:

    1) As much as I'd like to say I dont care about the money, I do. What is your pay like and do you think your salary and free time would be enough to support a family if you were married and had lets say 2-3 kids?

    2) Do you need to know how to drive manual?

    3) How hard was it getting a job?

    4) Do you need to pay for an insurance cover against malpractice etc?

    5) What kind of fitness level is expected?

    6) Do you think you will stay as a paramedic for long?

    7) Are you close with all your team members?

    Thats all I can think of for now :D

    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 16:21
      1. There are a lot of paramedics that are parents and together with their partner they can support a family comfortably.
    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 16:22

      Two. No. All the ambulances we drive are automatic.

    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 17:13

      Three. The uptake levels for graduates vary from year to year but it's quite competitive with a comprehensive application procsss.

    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 17:14

      Four. No.

    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 17:15

      Five. There's a fitness test during the application process. It's changed since I applied but ask your state employer HR department and they should be able to tell you.

    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 17:15

      Six. Yes I hope so!

    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 17:16

      Seven. I get along with all my team members. We have social events throughout the year that are well attended. Due to the nature of the roster though, it can be months between seeing a particular colleague.

  • Sxio on 26/10/2017 - 14:38

    If a patient dies while you're working on them at the scene, do you take get them in the ambulance and continue working on them? Or do you keep going with CPR at the scene?

    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 16:20

      CPR can only be performed safely in a moving vehicle if there's a mechanical CPR device like a Lucas in place. I linked it above somewhere.

  • Atazoth616 on 26/10/2017 - 16:51

    What is your view on fracking?

  • rezniv on 26/10/2017 - 17:30

    Where do people go after a career as a paramedic? (In terms of their next job)

    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 16:19

      Nursing, medical sales, retirement (some stay in the career for decades!)

  • Godric on 26/10/2017 - 17:43

    Do you like horror films?

  • BilboBoggles on 26/10/2017 - 20:48

    Do you ever get to do "house" type medicine in the field, for example using a drill to drain a brain bleed, or a biro to do a tracheotomy…..

  • Mungril on 26/10/2017 - 21:18

    After watching a Sunday Night story last year about PTSD, along with finding out that there are more PTSD cases within the Paramedics compared to cops, what do you think your future will look like mentally?
    Or are you just taking it one step at a time?
    Have you ever sat down and seriously thought about PTSD in your role?
    What is your view on PTSD in regards to your role, your industry and how society views as a whole? Apologies for all the mini questions.

    With that being said, I have to thank you for your societal service.

  • Quantumcat on 26/10/2017 - 22:01

    What's your favourite sort of job? My sister gave birth at home earlier this month, she only noticed the contractions at like 3.30 in the morning with the baby being born at 5. I've always thought helping a baby be born must be what paramedics live for, with everybody being so happy at the end.

    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 16:18

      I like variety. Witnessing a birth is amazing and it's less stressful if everything goes well.

  • [Deactivated] on 27/10/2017 - 01:35

    I hope never to need you service but thank you for being there!
    Enjoying your AMA too.

    • sween64 on 29/10/2017 - 16:18

      You're welcome, on both fronts.

  • virhlpool on 28/10/2017 - 07:51
    -1

    Do you reckon given the budget burden and mismanagement, public service in your field will deteriorate or at least does it look like it's already been? I have heard at least that quality of nurses and quality of emergency care (also wait time) is getting worse.

  • virhlpool on 28/10/2017 - 07:52

    Why is ambulance cost not bulk billed and in fact the cost is one of the highest in our country?

    • sween64 on 28/10/2017 - 10:07

      Pfft possibly because they're state services and Medicare is federally funded.

    • [Deactivated] on 28/10/2017 - 19:16

      Move to Queensland.

      • virhlpool on 28/10/2017 - 19:30

        How much does it cost in QLD?

        • sween64 on 28/10/2017 - 19:33
          +1

          It's a levy added to electricity bills.

        • [Deactivated] on 29/10/2017 - 10:29
          +2

          @sween64: No it's not anymore. It's funded direct from State taxation.

  • bluesky on 28/10/2017 - 17:16

    Firstly, kudos and the highest respect to you and all paramedics - for the great work you guys do on a day-in, day-out basis. It takes a special kind to choose such a profession.

    My question is: does whether someone have private insurance influence which hospital you bring the person to? Or would that have no bearing?

    Thanks in advance.

    • sween64 on 28/10/2017 - 19:34
      +1

      The patient often has the choice of closest private or closest public ED. There may be clinical or operational reasons that override that choice.

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