Even after the worst shifts with ramped hospitals, terrible management decisions, and abusive patients, there is still nothing quite like the feeling of genuinely making a difference when someone is having the absolute worst day of their life
Hi all, doing my final assignment for year 3, sem 1.
In this assignment, we are to identify and address a challenge within current paramedicine practice, then develop a business proposal to submit to state governing bodies in order to improve service delivery.
I’d like to include some valuable opinions from you!
I mulled my brain for fancy ideas on what challenges to choose (as I know there are many) before moving back to the most simple idea of all, hiring more personnel/crews (for metropolitan regions mostly)!
I already have a few reasons for choosing this (listed in edit below)
What I’d like to include in my proposal is direct quotes and opinions from you guys like a case study (no pressure). What do you think would be the pro’s and con’s to this type of proposal (feel free to agree or build on the things that I have already said)
Thanks in advance all!
Note: I’ll delete this post once I’ve received some good responses/opinions I can include.
Edit: thank you for your responses so far!
I’ll add some context to my argument because it does seem like a hollow idea without it.
My reasons for my idea so far include:
- Reduce workload on existing crews so 12 hours doesn’t need to actually be packed with 12 hours back to back.
- Reduce response times for the public
- Allow current employees more flexibility within their life (if they’d like to worked reduced hours or days, go part time, take leave at shorter notice etc)
- Allow paramedics time and space to branch off into extended scopes/streams (like mental health response, falls response etc)
- Actually give the service capacity to develop new streams (like community paramedicine, prescription dispensary services, community engagement, community vaccination and minor treatment pop ups for vulnerable communities, international aid groups, national service exchange programs etc, just to name a few ideas).
What is the role actually like? Just seen it actually advertised, can you actually effect change?
It reads like you can up/down regulate attendances at calls through calling incidents back or using clinical gestalt/experience to appropriately task resources.
Any real insight into the role would be great thanks!
Does anyone else feel like they become extremely anxious after night shift?
Got my first block of nights starting tomorrow and I am stressed about the sleep schedule. I live in a noisy share house and trying to blackout my room during the day feels impossible. What are the absolute essentials for getting decent rest between shifts?
Hey all,
Just after a recommendation on what the best textbook on Human Anatomy and Physiology might be.
I’ve had a look online but coming from someone with experience will mean alot, I’m about to start studying those particular subject in a few weeks.
Thanks,
Might not be the right place to ask, but I will anyway. Im in the process of testing for the QAS as a dispach officer, if im successful, it means moving my family to a different town.
Any suggestions or things that i should know about before committing to moving????
I’m still a student and trying to get a realistic idea of what changes once you’re actually working on road. What parts of the job still catch you off guard even after you’ve got experience?
AV brought in a salary sacrifice scheme where you sacrifice 20% of your pay over four years, then get the fifth year off on 80% pay.
I’m in the first cohort doing it, off from March 2027 to March 2028, but I barely know anyone else who’s signed up.
R/paramedicsau inspire me. How are you spending / would you spend a paid year off?
For context: mid-30s, small mortgage, no kids. Will be on approx 120k during my year off.
Hi I’m 35 male father of 2. I’ve been a carpenter my whole life and have always wanted to become a paramedic. I’m looking at charlesturt uni to study.
Any advice on this? Am I crazy? Is it a good career move? Do nsw ambulance like people with life experience etc.
Also is the study doable with kids and fulltime job. I am self employed so pretty flexible.
TIA
Posting from a throwaway account for obvious reasons.
I am currently doing induction with an ambulance service and have been thoroughly dissapointed.
We have been repeatedly lectured to about the importance of respect in the workplace, yet we have been treated as disobedient children. I have not been treated so poorly since I was actually a child in primary school. Leading by example seems to be a foreign concept.
The first day of induction, we were instructed to never leave the building before the time that we officially finish "it is fraud" they said, "your employment status will be reviewed" they said.
Sounds reasonable. Except moments later they are telling us that we are "required" to complete work tasks at home. I'm not talking about general studying, that would be acceptable. The tasks we are told to do at home are unambiguously work tasks, e.g. completing online learning modules and setting up work logins & services. They call this "homework" as if we are students - although we are learning, we are employees.
I hoped that the previous occurences would be a one off, but today they decided to lecture us about respect. This lecture went past the time we were meant to finish. An employee stood up to leave after the point we were no longer being paid, and as a result he was yelled at with anger, in front of everyone, and made to stay longer than everyone else. I suppose I haven't been told we won't be paid overtime for being forced to stay, but it is abundantly obvious.
I am really struggling with dealing with all this. I have heard plenty about cultural problems in ambulance services, but I stupidly thought the problems would be out of sight of leadership & there'd be some effect to correct them. Instead the problems are coming directly from leadership.
I guess I'm just hoping that someone here might have some advice or perspective. I am really scared about what my future career holds if this is what is occuring right from the start. And if the person who got yelled at today is reading this, I am so sorry for how they treated you, that was disgraceful.
tl;dr: why is wage theft so normalised in ambulance work? how can education & executive staff lecture about respect and then force staff to stay back unpaid to be yelled at? Are we all really just meant to accept this as normal?
For those who have to keep working weekends while doing your block, how are you managing your sleep and study? I am doing fifteen hours a week and starting to stress about the constant shift between twelve hour shifts and work
Hey guys,
Just wanted a kind of poll regarding this.
I trained and was taught that the gloves overhead storage in the front is part of start of shift car checks and that it's you and your partners size. (We have SMLXL in the back)
Where I am now permanently has M and L in the front and if you are any other size bring your own box and sit it somewhere in the front like the dash.
Currently my partner and I are S and XS so that's how I had the sizes at the front. The next crew came didn't check, and I mentioned it to them as I know they are both bigger than S, I was told to change the gloves back for them and when I didn't (as a matter of principle) one went and said fine I'll do your job for you.
I realise it's a very small issue but I don't like having a cluttered work space and don't see the point of having PPE that no one in the current working crew of the car will use.
What do you guys do?
Hiya, I’m after some advice regarding income insurance. I’m due to start working as a grad paramedic next month so have started to set things up for my future.
After having friends in the job retire early due to injuries and PTSD, I’m in the process of setting up income / TPD insurance for myself, however it’s always the health questionnaires that worry me for the same reason.
My question is - If someone had childhood depression as a teenager (approx 10 years ago) that was managed and resolved after a year with no further management needed or symptoms since, will insurance companies still cover for things such as PTSD later down the track? (by then, it would be at least 20+ years since last sx/mx) or am I essentially wasting my money for something that I may have an exclusion for due to a teenage issue? I am working with a financial advisor but would also like some advice from others who are in the job or have been in the same circumstance.
Thank you!
Had a nasty paediatric arrest last night and I can’t stop replaying the mother’s face in my head. I’ve tried the usual "go for a run" and "talk to a mate" but nothing is sticking. Is there a specific point where you just get desensitised or am I doing it wrong?
I completed my degree in paramedicine last year, and now understand it could take years to get a job in the state service as a graduate. I want to work as a FIFO medic in the meantime, but all of the job alerts require 3 years clinical experience. Does anyone have experience being a paramedic graduate and getting a FIFO job?
I’m at QUT and have been watching a lot of YouTube channels and listening to podcasts to help the concepts stick. Does anyone have any specific Aussie focused resources that align well with our university curriculum and QAS CPGs?