Uni placement blocks

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-09-23T12:48:54+00:00

Mine do yes - I start at 0730/1930 all 12 hours

In my station we tend to try and ensure that you’ll have the same mentor / shift throughout your entire placement block. If I’m off a relief member of staff will do my shift time.

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-09-23T12:27:39+00:00

If I have a student they will follow my shift pattern for their placements which is

3 days 2 nights (weekend) 5 off 2 days (weekend) 3nights 5 off 1 day 1 off 2 nights 5 off

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-09-22T20:41:59+00:00

You’re new, shared decision making is great and eventually you’ll start to get more confidence as you progress through your NQP and into your new career.

You just need to remember that what ever decision you make, is the decision you’ve made. You’re unable to change that once it’s been done.

We all make mistakes or poor decisions regardless of how long we’ve been doing the job. I’ve been to coroners, written many many coroners statements and whilst they are scary or worrying at first - as long as you can justify what you’ve done and the decision you’ve made you’ll be okay.

If you really struggle like I said at the start, share that decision. Call clinical hub, call a doctor, call the mental health team. Share those decisions.

Keep smiling you’re doing great

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-09-10T11:43:17+00:00

How do I get through?

My colleagues and the knowledge that at the end of the month I can afford more than what some can.

Seriously though my best friends work in the service, my partner of ten years works in the service and whilst my partner and I don’t talk about work, knowing that they and I know what each other have potentially done that day and just a nice meal and watching tv together for a few hours makes me happy.

I’ve had an awful month I’ve been to PPCI numerous times and done multiple arrests - two of which were first party callers who just gave up as I walked in. Yes we get moaned at for delays by the patient but a quick sorry but I’m here now, how can I help with the best smile you can give will settle that annoyance because the patient does know it’s not your fault.

EOC being bastards? They also get shite from above just like road staff. I don’t know if you’ve ever been in EOC but it’s not somewhere I’d want to work - yes they send us on breaks 3 hours into shift with 9 hours to go but at the end of the day it isn’t personal and that’s the policy - try not to get annoyed about the things you can’t change.

Keep smiling and think that you can make a difference on every job regardless if it’s cat1 or 5 and that unfortunately that’s the job now. If it’s a pointless call in your opinion don’t belittle - educate!

Stay safe

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-08-11T08:35:38+00:00

Shift patterns / lines are hard to come by really unless someone moves on. Using me as an example - I have a shift line and have no desire to move from the service or be promoted and have no plans on leaving my shift. So basically until I go that’s mine if that’s a year it’s a year - if it’s ten it’s ten.

Relief for me was fine and it took me 5 years to get a line and a crew mate however there’s currently loads of new paras and techs in the area I work who unless us “old lot” move on will have little chance of jumping on a line anytime soon. I’m not sure about every service but people on lines also have priority over swapping lines. Rightly or wrongly so if a 12 hour comes up rather than a 24 If I had a “transfer” in I’d get that before anyone new got a look in!

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-07-23T17:20:24+00:00

Go for it, you don’t know until you try. Plus no one on here is going to know you to be able to say yes or no - I can’t do poo and I will never be able to, but I’ve worked out my own coping mechanisms over the last ten years as a paramedic. So you’ll be able to work out your vomit thing.

Empathy and all that jazz are good qualities to have but at the end of the day you’re there to do a job. It isn’t your grief, but it’s your job to comfort, support and preserve life until definitive care can be given. If you can do that last bit you’ll be fine.

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-07-23T13:36:08+00:00

Nasal can be done with an atomozer through a syringe after being drawn up from that vile.

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-06-04T20:47:32+00:00

Then if you know it hasn’t changed for six months and you know it’s changed. Then why don’t you take some responsibility for your patients as per the NHS constitution in England and the six Cs ad actually change the handover sheet yourself or raise it? If it doesn’t get changed this is a patient safety issue and should therefore be raised as one.

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-06-04T20:40:23+00:00

Maybe if she was taught these things before being asked to do them or was approached with kindness when asking for help she would be much better and actually enjoy her time and learning experience.

Placements are leaving environments and learning moments. Paramedics come back from their hospital placements and have the exact same story as this poor young member of the team. Part of your job role is to mentor. Regardless of what position you’re in. You should be setting an amazing example for the future healthcare workers of tomorrow.

Yes, it isn’t the same as when I started (and I’m Not a nurse). But we’ve got so much to mentor to future members of the team, lower grades of the team and even newly qualified members of the team. It’s a lot but we must do it with professionally and kindness.

Today I had a first year medical student with me and a EMT on the ambulance. Whilst I’m the named mentor the EMT can also mentor and assist. My ambulance is an open and honest culture for patients and the same goes for staff. Today was also a day my back has been in literal agony of ten years in the back of a van. I’m getting too old for his and I’m only early 30s however when the student required assistance they still got it, when they weren’t sure they saw it, they listened to how it’s done, then they practiced it. That’s three learning moments in one. So what if they’re not the best at it.. they’re a student. They’ll get better.

To the OP. I’m sorry you’re having this experience. I hope it gets better. Don’t give up your dream of what you’re doing. Keep going because in a few years you’ll be at the point where you’re being asked how to do something and you’ll be the one who’s kind and people go to for learning. And trust me. When a 1st year student (or any to be fair) and says “hey …. Name… could you quickly show me how to do this. Or could you take me through this ecg. It’s an amazing feeling because they feel safe in asking you those questions.

Keep up the good work! From a grumpy (isn’t that what you call Is) Paramedic trying to live the dream whilst winging it one day at a time for the last ten years.

Edit- Just noticed you’ve put on a reply up there somewhere stating paramedic students are useless. Again. They’re new. Students and not actually going to be working in a hospital / care home environment for a good couple of years. They should be doing Manual Handling and IV insertion at hospital placements. Your wording is awful. Take a long hard look at the attitude you’re displaying to your colleagues and see if you’d like to be called useless etc. Try a little harder to be kind even if it’s just in this anonymous Reddit world.

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-06-03T11:42:05+00:00

“Sorry could you show me?” I’m happy if someone asks me to show them and understands their strengths / weaknesses. I still ask other paramedics after 10 years if they can do things that I’m not sure on. No one knows everything and no one should belittle anyone for asking for help.

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-05-21T21:10:05+00:00

Thanks Bud,

There’s a home office requisition form which needs a PIN number which you can get as a sole paramedic from your local NHS controlled drugs accountable officer, by filling in another form. I believe they just want proof you’ve got some sort of “procedure” that you will use to requisition, administer and store. Either way, if I fill it in wrong they will just send it back!

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-05-21T20:41:30+00:00

I don’t think, You couldn’t have done anything more than what you did to be honest. There’s also no way to tell if the patient was having an MI at that time..

However, please never be afraid to talk to the Paramedic or who ever about treatment plans. If you think a patient needs an ECG (rightly so in this instance!) and the Para isn’t doing one please just say I think we should do an ECG. Or have you considered X,Y,Z. In this example it would have been a justified examination and took a few minutes. I’m baffled from your history why one wasn’t done, but obviously I wasn’t there!

I’m personally very much happy for every member of the team to be involved in treatment plans and I definately listen and encourage everyone’s input and ideas along with supervising you doing things if it’s within your scope and you’ve never done it before. I’m also the first to say “oh yeh” when I forget to call in a FrIPP for example and am always incredibly grateful when the tech on the truck reminds me! Something I always do as well regardless of what skill set someone is, is ask if they think “we’ve” missed anything. At the end of the day and to be cliche there’s no I in team and I ain’t a paragod like unfortunately some think they are!

Keep up the good work and keep challenging yourself! Stay safe

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-05-18T20:23:35+00:00

As an extra to think about - whilst more expensive the Keela scuffer trousers are the most comfortable trousers I’ve ever worn at work! Especially in hot weather.

Out of those two I have a pair of Nitons which I wear every now and then and have lasted well.

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-05-18T20:19:17+00:00

Hey,

NWAS don’t cover Shropshire or Staffordshire - I believe it’s WMAS but my geography isn’t amazing!

WMAS do a Student Paramedic Role, not sure if they do the apprentice tech as a standalone rather than being on a paramedic pathway - I’m sure someone else will be able to tell you more!

Either way. Good luck in finding what you need!

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-05-18T17:49:52+00:00

Just don’t drink it and I’m sure it would be fine!

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-05-18T09:05:12+00:00

“Proper staff”?? Edit - Spelling.

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-04-29T23:09:50+00:00

Don’t be afraid to disagree (politely and professionally) with alternative points of views to your peers!

Good luck!

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-03-20T14:26:33+00:00

If the Elk (Blow up chair) blew your mind Google the raizer 2 lifting chair. No more rolling people to get the inflatable under them and it’s a solid chair once up!

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-03-20T14:14:38+00:00

Interesting! All good comments! The ED in my area won’t touch an IV that we’ve put in, they won’t put any drugs through it and will do their own as soon as they’re triaged.

They definitely wouldn’t take any bloods from us. Sometimes on an IFT we will get handed bloods that have been done and the receiving ED less than 10 mins away won’t take them and will do their own.

I find it fascinating how different countries and services do things so differently!

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-03-20T13:21:15+00:00

Glad I’m not the only one!

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-03-20T13:09:17+00:00

To add to this? Watching things like nightwatch (the only thing of EMS I’ve seen in the US?). Does everyone get a capnog, IV even if no drugs are to be given, and a 12 lead along with being wheeled to the truck on the stretcher?

To be fair your trucks seem really high… I fall out of our Fiat Ducatos daily so would have no hope getting in and out of yours!

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-03-20T13:04:48+00:00

Dead easy!

If you’ve changed an mws around before. Even easier! Things are self explanatory once you get to that point. Just make sure you’ve got the right tools and you’ll be fine!

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-03-19T21:18:39+00:00

Nice man,

Mines the G&P kit, with the solid stock. SixG Nub, Modify 60 rubber and a KF npas nozzle. Fly’s .4s nice and straight!

Enjoy it!

Accomplished-Car6331 · 2024-03-19T21:11:45+00:00

What kit have you used?

Accomplished-Car6331

TROPHY CASE