I have been a paramedic now for 7 years. Originally, I worked in A&E as a support assistant and would see the paramedics coming in and out. It looked like a really fantastic job helping people in their moment of crisis. I wanted to do something that I found rewarding—and it certainly has been. I knew quite early on, that I wanted to develop my career, so I studied further to become an emergency care practitioner, a role I have been in since 2016. Last year, I completed my masters in prescribing to further aid my role, which I am really proud of.
Around the same time as moving up to practitioner level, I was also thinking a lot about the pressures facing me because of work and the impact it was having on my work-life balance. I soon realised that becoming a locum could be the answer I was looking for. The level of flexibility I now have with regard to being able to pick and choose my shifts, annual leave, and also where I work, has made a massive difference to my life.
Clinically, it can be quite challenging to step into a new department that you are not very familiar with at first and be productive, safe and effective. It takes a bit of time to build the confidence to work with teams you do not know and be able to ask the right sorts of questions without appearing like a burden. Going into a new unit sometimes feels like starting a new placement when I was a student. However, you don't have to do that very often and all the places I've worked at are friendly and supportive, so you soon feel part of the team and are welcomed back when returning.
You also need to be mindful of your own CPD and education. It's down to you to maintain this and ensure you have everything you need in place for the HCPC requirements. I find that really refreshing though because I can choose the things I study based on the direction in which I want to take my career and do courses when I feel ready, rather than when it is my turn. You often find yourself alongside other locums when doing courses and because everyone is in the same boat, we tend to stick together and support each other through our learning. You get to know other locums from places you would never come across otherwise and make friends with a wide range of other professionals. This way of working is also very good for your clinical practice because you are always learning from other people and teams, making little tweaks to the way you do things, becoming more confident and competent. It does feel good when established team members from a department value your input or come for advice themselves.
Technological developments have also changed the ease with which locums can manage their work and all the administration involved. The agency I initially worked with still relied on recruitment agents who kept calling me with shift opportunities, which I really did not like as it was so intrusive and time-consuming. Technology makes it much easier to go through the registration process. As a registered health professional providing care to patients, a locum has to go through the same sorts of checks as when you start a new job, though I found that most of what was required were things that were already in my CPD portfolio.
Choosing the right agency is also important as it can make a big difference to the way your working life runs. Some agencies can be frustrating to work with, and you can feel like they are in control, rather than you being the one to be able to choose your own work. Sometimes offers can change suddenly, or the agents are frequently sending messages or calling about shifts you do not want. Good agencies will take the time to understand your availability and requirements, then be transparent about what is available. Some agencies even work online now, so you can set your own availability and book shifts from a calendar (like MyMedic whom I now work with). I am a really strong advocate for locum work and I can honestly say that becoming a locum paramedic has been the best decision I have ever made regarding my career.