Moving hosts

OK folks

I've move this blog to http://the-paramedic.com

Jump across and let me know what you think

The medic

The First 6 months as an Ambulance Paramedic

I received a comment from keeper of the chocolates and thought i'd reply with this post...

I quote her comment here...

"hi there adrian :) if you ever come back to this blog would you mind emailing or contacting me? my husband has decided just recently to become a paramedic and i would love to get more info on this career choice for our family and all that it involves. we have 4 kids, and i am just wondering what it will be like with him working the crazy nights/weekends and such :)

thanks for any input that you have!"

hi there "keeper of the chocolates" (cool name btw :-)

I will email you, but post a few comments here.

Not sure how the ambulance system works over there in the US, so can only refer to the service in Oz.

Firstly, its a GREAT job! Its one of those rare vocations where variety is the norm.
You literally just don't know what your next call is going to be.

In regards to what effects on your family are...

Unless you actually do the work, you just don't know what your emotions are going to be or more importantly, how you will cope with these emotions.

Its important to have someone to talk to when about your work.

Some people talk to their work partner or friends or Wives/Husbands, etc.

In my case, I talked to my Wife. She was my rock. In the beginning, I had a lot of self doubts about my chosen career. She just listened and steered me in the right direction without actually saying anything.

My first 6 - 12 months were hard. It was fun, exciting, emotionally draining and hard.

I've gone off topic a bit..sorry.

When I started I had 2 children (young) and worked a 4 on 4 off roster. That is 2 day shifts, then 2 night shifts followed by 4 days off.

The night shifts were the hardest for my Wife. It took a little while for her to get used to me not being there at night.

Then when I came off the night shift, she would try to keep the kids quiet during the day so I could sleep.

It was hard to organize outings, etc for the weekend as for some reason, I always seemed to be working when there was something really exciting that came up to do on the weekend!

Oh, and never, ever, ever organise something after your day shift.
You will ALWAYS have a shift extension on the day that need to get home on time!
Don't know why that happens, but it does.
If you do have something planned, don't tell anyone!

The good things are that you are often able to go to your kids school days (sports, etc).

Hope this helps.

Let me know if there is anything more you want to know.

As a side note, my days of working on the minesite are coming to a close...I'll be going back to the city and working on the Ambulance again.

Cheers all

Adrian

Ok Ok Now I Feel Guilty

One post a year...woohoo! How pathetic is that!
Been working on a remote mine site for a while now. Boy, am I always learning.
This is nothing like working in the metropolitan area.
Let me explain......
On the road in the city, we transport a patient to the closest ( sometimes) hospital. Usually around 20 minutes max. We handover to the hospital staff, restock the ambulance and head back out for our next job.
No such thing in the area I'm in at the moment. The closest hospital is about two and a half hours away!
What does this mean? It means we are with the patient for a lot longer...a LOT longer.
Usually, we keep the patient's onsite...which means we have to follow up through the recuperation stage. Dressings, redressings, medications.
Granted, we now have a helicopter on site. But, the chopper can't fly at night and is not always available.
Not to mention, I HATE flying!

Recently, there was a truck rollover down an embankment. The driver was in the truck and word came down that he was 'not well', whatever that means!

We put the basket (like a scoop stretcher) into the chopper. Unfortunately, the front passenger seat needs to be removed to fit the basket in. I was in the passenger seat, so the basket was put in the back. It was too big.
The pilot said that it was ok as he would just remove the doors. Didn't he realize the panic that caused me! Now I was feeling nauseous.

I look on the dash of the cockpit and saw a sticky label. On it,it read "...deliberate stalling of the engine is prohibited whilst in flight..."

What the!!!!!!!!!

I'm not sure what was worse...the fact that someone would actually turn the engine off whilst flying, or, the fact that it happens so often that they needed to put a reminder sticker on the dash!

Now, I was close to vomiting.

We got to the patient. He was still in the truck (which was on its side) and the cabin was about 3 metres off the ground. I was a 50 ton dump truck.

He complained of pain in his neck and back, so it was decided to take him by helicopter to the hospital. No!!!!!! Why didn't he say everything was ok so I could DRIVE him there.

I actually improved on the trip in. In fact, by the time I got back, I was looking forward to my next trip!

The driver? No injuries. He was back at work within a week. Lucky fella!

I've had a few people ask how to become an Ambulance Paramedic and what qualities they need.

I'll try and answer these questions in my next post, bearing in mind that it is different in different countries/states. I'll do some research.

Until next time.....keep safe.

Where Have I Been??!!

Note to self: Don't get lost in other stuff when your blog idly sits and waits!
OK, I've actually moved from my metropolitan ambulance station to a remote site.
Now that has been a big learning curve.
At first, I had no access to the internet, so I could only blog when I returned home. But to be honest, that was the last thing on my mind! I needed time with my family. Five kids you know, and the last two being twins! They've nearly reached the terrible two's. You can read about them at www.twins-info.blogspot.com. I may have been hanging out to get home to see my lovely Wife and kids, but don't worry...I've been to the vets. ;-)
I've got quite a few ambo stories to tell about my time in this remote area, so stick around.
My promise to you is that I'll blog a LOT more often.

A Belated Merry Xmas

Hi folks...
Apologies for not posting in a little while.
I took a break over Christmas.
It was brilliant. My two girls opened their presents with gusto and were delighted.
My twin boys had there first Christmas.
They opened their presents (with a little help) and proceded to eat the wrapping paper!
I tried to convince my Wife that the boys were NOT too young (they're 10 months) to get a scalectrix set, train set and something that blows something up!
But I lost.

Anyway, 2 days after Christmas, I caught a plane to go to work.
Away form the family for three weeks. :-(
I'm currently doing a stint on a mine site as the site Paramedic. It gives me a break from working in the metro area in an ambulance. Things are quiet, but thats how I like it.

My New Years Resolution........to blog a lot more often.

Merry Xmas everyone.

This job sucks.

I had just finished my initial training and was well on my way to becoming a Paramedic. It was time to go out on the road with my tutor.
My first day.
I had checked the ambulance to the 'n'th degree. The selcall (alarm) sounded. Prority one was the call (lights and siren).
We had been called to a house with a child who was 'post immersion'. My adrenaline started to flow. Pulse rate just about doubled.
On the way I kept thinking.."post immersion..was was that again. Ah yes, drowning."
Then it hit me. Noooo. I don't want to do a drowning on my first day. It must be a mistake. I was a student. Give me another job..anything..just not a drowning.
I must have turned a lighter shade of pale. My partner asked if I was ok.
I said "sure".
We arrived at the house with a frantic Father screaming at us.
We were led into the house where a little child was lying on the carpet.
They had got the kid out of the pool and brought him inside.
Not breathing, no pulse, pupils fixed and dilated.......this was not good.
We commenced CPR and continued with our cardiac arrest regime.
My mouth was dry and I felt like crap.
This was not supposed to happen on my first day.
Why not ease me into the job slowly.
We got the poor little child into the ambulance.
My partner said he would get in the back with the child.
Great, I thought. Now I wouldn't have to look at the Mother whilst I worked on her child.
I got in the drivers seat just as the Father jumped in the passenger side.
What do I say to him? What can I say?
I didn't need to say anything. He just kept grabbing at me and pleaded with me to save his son.
That was the longest 5 minutes of my life.
We arrived at the Hospital.
We rushed through to the 'resus' area and the Doctors' and Nurses started their work.
A nurse then asked me how long the child had been under water. A seemingly innocuous question, but it was enough to tip me over.
Tears welled in my eyes and I cried uncontrollably.
I hated this damn job. Being a Paramedic sucked!
I spoke with my partner and eventually calmed down.
The poor little tike didn't survive.
I went home that evening and my Wife asked how my first day went.
Here I go again. Tears, crying, hate the job.
I gave my kids slightly longer hugs that night.
I didn't sleep well.
I couldn't get the face of the little kid out of my mind.
I was very close to quitting my job.
That was years ago and I sometimes still see the boy's face.
I often wonder how the family is going.

Weekends and Alcohol

Well another weekend is coming to an end.
I pulled two nightshifts.
Nightshifts and weekends mean one thing....alcohol and drugs.
I guess 75% of our work involves one or the other.
Its not just the "unconscious" (meaning very drunk) patients we have to deal with, but the intoxicated bystanders/friends.
They all have a story to tell you but unfortunately they all want to say it at the SAME time!
Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with having a good time, but we need to draw the line somewhere. But getting legless and lying in your own vomit is probably stepping over that line. So I promise I won't do it again! :-)