Ask a Paramedic anything at all...
Discussion
As an aside here is a link to a thread about me using my paramedic skills in a very different setting (don’t know if you saw this Ray?)
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Phunk said:
Would you recommend the role to others?
It's something I thought about in the past, but the idea of studying and doing exams put me off (I'm awful at writing what's in my mind down on paper!)
It’s tougher to get on now. Easiest way is to start in the assistant role and work your way up. Other way is to go to Uni for 3 years but if you are mature then that’s difficult for obvious reasons.It's something I thought about in the past, but the idea of studying and doing exams put me off (I'm awful at writing what's in my mind down on paper!)
Would I recommend it? Not so sure anymore. It destroys your social life, family life, and mentally and physically it is very demanding. Not many more rewarding jobs but you pay for it in my experience.
Fortunately only had to call you guys twice.
Once when our cat decided to try and murder my mother (he manged to trip her up and break an ankle), and once when my daughter was struggling to breathe.
The latter was pretty scary, and NHS direct decded it was an emergency. I was very impressed with both the first responder, and also the ambulance crew who had a 20 minute blue light drive in horrible conditions to get to us. It fortunately turned out to be croup (which was a recurring thing after that - although I at least knew what it was and what to do)..
Still thanks for doing what you do...
Once when our cat decided to try and murder my mother (he manged to trip her up and break an ankle), and once when my daughter was struggling to breathe.
The latter was pretty scary, and NHS direct decded it was an emergency. I was very impressed with both the first responder, and also the ambulance crew who had a 20 minute blue light drive in horrible conditions to get to us. It fortunately turned out to be croup (which was a recurring thing after that - although I at least knew what it was and what to do)..
Still thanks for doing what you do...
Muzzer79 said:
Have you ever really struggled emotionally with not being able to save someone from death?
Curiously enough, no never (although as Ruskie has said - I'm fortunate to not have had a child death yet - THAT might change my mind!)From trauma jobs at RTC's to the elderly and everything in between - I rationalise that the poor person at that time in their life has suffered an event which was life-threatening. I've arrived after that fact, and all I have is my skills and my ambulance and equipment. I do everything I can to give them the best chance of survival, but it is only what I can do physically as a human being - I'm not God after all and have no delusions as such!
Hence, if after my interventions they still die, then that is that - they were unfortunate enough to have had to face that today. I'm quite pragmatic in that respect.
Ruskie said:
As an aside here is a link to a thread about me using my paramedic skills in a very different setting (don’t know if you saw this Ray?)
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Wow - no I didn't see that but I am reading through it now. You're clearly a veteran compared to me too obviously!!https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
Muzzer79 said:
Have you ever really struggled emotionally with not being able to save someone from death?
Curiously enough, no never (although as Ruskie has said - I'm fortunate to not have had a child death yet - THAT might change my mind!)From trauma jobs at RTC's to the elderly and everything in between - I rationalise that the poor person at that time in their life has suffered an event which was life-threatening. I've arrived after that fact, and all I have is my skills and my ambulance and equipment. I do everything I can to give them the best chance of survival, but it is only what I can do physically as a human being - I'm not God after all and have no delusions as such!
Hence, if after my interventions they still die, then that is that - they were unfortunate enough to have had to face that today. I'm quite pragmatic in that respect.
Ruskie said:
Phunk said:
Would you recommend the role to others?
It's something I thought about in the past, but the idea of studying and doing exams put me off (I'm awful at writing what's in my mind down on paper!)
It’s tougher to get on now. Easiest way is to start in the assistant role and work your way up. Other way is to go to Uni for 3 years but if you are mature then that’s difficult for obvious reasons.It's something I thought about in the past, but the idea of studying and doing exams put me off (I'm awful at writing what's in my mind down on paper!)
Would I recommend it? Not so sure anymore. It destroys your social life, family life, and mentally and physically it is very demanding. Not many more rewarding jobs but you pay for it in my experience.
Would I recommend it? A big hmmmmmmmm......again as Ruskie says, if you have a family then it's difficult. I'm fortunate(?) enough to have no wife or kids, and my last girlfriend left me a few years ago and that was fine for me - I am kinda embracing the single life now haha! So for me it matters not working shifts ( in fact I am curiously strange in that I love the shifts - I abhor being part of the normal 9 to 5 rat race) or having over-runs and having to work important family days like Christmas Day etc.
As a job - it can be the best and the worst in the world, depending upon the sort of day you have. If you like being out and about, and looking in other people's houses, then it is brilliant. On those occasions when I DO manage to change the course of someone's immediate demise and prevent it, well then, you go home feeling on top of the world.
And as said, socially - everyone DOES love us too, anywhere I go in uniform I often have people giving me lovely compliments. It's also a brilliant ice-breaker, if people ask me what I do and I tell them, they love it and want to talk to me all day! Sometimes though if I am not in the mood and they ask - I just say I am a van driver haha!
I would say that, if you ARE considering it as a new career - then do lots of research. There is tonnes on the internet and so you need to make up your own mind, I think.
HTH.
Ruskie said:
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
Muzzer79 said:
Have you ever really struggled emotionally with not being able to save someone from death?
Curiously enough, no never (although as Ruskie has said - I'm fortunate to not have had a child death yet - THAT might change my mind!)From trauma jobs at RTC's to the elderly and everything in between - I rationalise that the poor person at that time in their life has suffered an event which was life-threatening. I've arrived after that fact, and all I have is my skills and my ambulance and equipment. I do everything I can to give them the best chance of survival, but it is only what I can do physically as a human being - I'm not God after all and have no delusions as such!
Hence, if after my interventions they still die, then that is that - they were unfortunate enough to have had to face that today. I'm quite pragmatic in that respect.
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
Haddock82 said:
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
fido said:
what’s the most perverted incident you’ve been called put to? e.g. someone with a hoover nozzle stick up their orifice
Nope. Next!We all know the main question we all want is "What is the weirdest thing you found up someones bum?"...!
You wont hear the end of it until we get an answer!
Thanks for the replies so far! Very interesting
I've been whisked away in an ambulance (no blues and twos but rushed off to A&E) and have needed your guys help several times
from playing football where others have gotten injured... broken legs.. one player even had a stroke on the pitch mid game! And finding someone collapsed on a pathway in the pitch dark...! Good job I had full beam on in the car otherwise I'd have never spotted him.
Seriously can't thank you guys enough, I know I couldn't do your job and not just because I'm not trained (You want an aspirin for that collapsed lung?!)
For another question, how much of a pain in the arris is New Years Eve? Cant you just throw the numbskulls into the drunk tank with the plod?!
My partner reckons if I were to be in a position where I needed medical attention but was unable to move from the 3rd floor (where our bedroom is), the attending paramedics would be unable to take me out for the house due to my weight (25st) because of health and safety stopping them from doing so?
Is this true?
Is this true?
smiffy180 said:
My partner reckons if I were to be in a position where I needed medical attention but was unable to move from the 3rd floor (where our bedroom is), the attending paramedics would be unable to take me out for the house due to my weight (25st) because of health and safety stopping them from doing so?
Is this true?
Our chairs can carry 32st. I personally carried a large gentlemen of 28st down 3 flights a few months ago. It was horrific, painful and sweaty.Is this true?
smiffy180 said:
My partner reckons if I were to be in a position where I needed medical attention but was unable to move from the 3rd floor (where our bedroom is), the attending paramedics would be unable to take me out for the house due to my weight (25st) because of health and safety stopping them from doing so?
Is this true?
It would present a challenge, obviously - but there's no 'health and safety' limit as such - we're just trained to do a dynamic risk assessment. As I have said before we can call for backup for anything like this, from our own 'HART' team to the fire brigade. We'd get you out, don't worry about that.Is this true?
First off , thanks for what you do , truly appreciate what the medical responders do as I have become a bit of a frequent flyer unfortunately.
Is it standard to transport to hospital if you have administered morphine or stronger ?
As for the boobies thing , I have an amusing tale from motorsport marshalling .
A rider ( gender unknown at the time) was high sided of their motorbike and hit the ground hard then rolled onto the grass ending face up and not moving. The rescue crew were quick on the scene as we were checking for breathing - responses etc .
Rider was breathing but not much chest or abdo movement but not responsive .
It was suggested that the leathers should be loosened as they appeared to be very tight and probably not helping with the breathing . This was done and as the zip came down the breaths got deeper and deeeper then we suddenly realised that the rider was female and naked under the leather and very well endowed as her 'airbags ' broke free .
It certainly caused a pause and even the female doctor in attendance gave a 'wow '
Fortunately the rider was just a bit battered and bruised but had gained several admirers .
Is it becoming common for paramedics to move into GP Surgeries as we have one now , no longer in the ambulance service . It seems to be a use of the skills gained rather than them leaving the medical profession altogether.
Is it standard to transport to hospital if you have administered morphine or stronger ?
As for the boobies thing , I have an amusing tale from motorsport marshalling .
A rider ( gender unknown at the time) was high sided of their motorbike and hit the ground hard then rolled onto the grass ending face up and not moving. The rescue crew were quick on the scene as we were checking for breathing - responses etc .
Rider was breathing but not much chest or abdo movement but not responsive .
It was suggested that the leathers should be loosened as they appeared to be very tight and probably not helping with the breathing . This was done and as the zip came down the breaths got deeper and deeeper then we suddenly realised that the rider was female and naked under the leather and very well endowed as her 'airbags ' broke free .
It certainly caused a pause and even the female doctor in attendance gave a 'wow '
Fortunately the rider was just a bit battered and bruised but had gained several admirers .
Is it becoming common for paramedics to move into GP Surgeries as we have one now , no longer in the ambulance service . It seems to be a use of the skills gained rather than them leaving the medical profession altogether.
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
smiffy180 said:
My partner reckons if I were to be in a position where I needed medical attention but was unable to move from the 3rd floor (where our bedroom is), the attending paramedics would be unable to take me out for the house due to my weight (25st) because of health and safety stopping them from doing so?
Is this true?
It would present a challenge, obviously - but there's no 'health and safety' limit as such - we're just trained to do a dynamic risk assessment. As I have said before we can call for backup for anything like this, from our own 'HART' team to the fire brigade. We'd get you out, don't worry about that.Is this true?
It won't stop you being extricated but it might delay things slightly until a suitably safe (for everyone) method can be arranged.
I've been on a cardiac arrest where a rather large gentleman lived in a pokey flat up a spiral staircase above a shop.
Once stabilised and prepped to be moved he had to be kept horizontal so the stairs were a complete non-starter. The flat had huge sash windows, easily large enough to climb through, so a quick call to Trumpton and he went down to ground level on an LFB aerial platform.
It's rare though. In London at least, fire brigade will only attend if a situation is immediately life-threatening.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 3rd January 23:50
numtumfutunch said:
Thanks for the thread
Having recently been caught in the position where I was sitting at a red light with an ambulance coming up behind with lights and sirens on how many and what percentage of your call outs are really so urgent that 30 seconds would make a real difference?
Cheers
In the spirit of answering questions honestly.....on an average day, I'll concede that the percentage may not be 100% - but I will fall short of estimating a figure because I don't want to bring any disrepute! I guess I will just say, every day is different...Having recently been caught in the position where I was sitting at a red light with an ambulance coming up behind with lights and sirens on how many and what percentage of your call outs are really so urgent that 30 seconds would make a real difference?
Cheers
Sometimes though.....yes, 30 seconds might make all the difference. And looking back.....it has done.
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff