u/Sparkles_Uni-corn

So I've recently been mentoring a 1st year student - she's at the end of her placement but I've only had her for 2 weeks. I was advised she had some health issues but it was suggested that I'd be more sympathetic to this than her previous mentor.

She's 100% capable from a clinical point of view, but I'm genuinely concerned about her ability to cope with this work. She's had a number of medical episodes whilst out on placement with me, she's fainted twice, had a moderate/severe asthma exacerbation requiring nebulisation, usually needs a rescue inhaler more then 4 times on a shift, and vomited more times than I can count.

She's clearly determined and still wants to do the job but for someone who vomits every time someone retches and is allergic to around 30 different things I'm seriously wondering how she would ever manage on a truck when qualified!

Do uni students go through some form of fit to practice before placement? Where do I stand with this?

I realise to some of you may find this a bit strange, but does anyone else try to avoid being seen when you need to take a rescue inhaler?

I always find myself trying to avoid taking my salbutamol in public places - I always find it results in unwanted attention and staring from people.

I'm a paramedic, so am often exposed to various triggers when going in and out people's homes and this is completely outwith my control, and I usually won't know what's on the other side of the door until we arrive. If I do need to use it at work, I usually try to hide in the front cab, and even then often find colleagues will give me the side eye quite a bit and ask if I'm alright - totally get this is done put of concern/kindness but I hate it. A colleague of mine had a bit of an attack recently as I was driving to hospital and asked me to pass his inhaler through to him in the back and I was cringing at the thought of treating myself with a patient in the back - I'd have been so embarrassed, but when we had a chat about it later he said he never really thought anything of it, but was surprised to learn I was also asthmatic as he's worked with me for 2 years and I'd never mentioned it. He likened it to taking paracetamol for a headache, but I'd never do that in front of a patient either 🤣

Am I just weird?

UK Paramedic here, 12 years on the road experience, so not a newbie by any means, but since returning from maternity leave a couple of months ago I seem to have developed travel sickness, which is seriously making me consider an alternative role. I'm absolutely fine in the front, but in the back for anything more than 10 minutes and I find myself feeling pretty green. I haven't actually vomited (yet) but its definitely not fun, and I would definitely prefer to not get sick when dealing with a patient. No idea if this is something that could be hormone related as its not something I've ever experienced before? Is there meds or anything anyone would suggest? I have tried the travel sickness bands and didn't find them to be of much use tbh.