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professional
professional
role evolution
career development
specialist paramedic
professional

The search and rescue helicopter paramedic: an emerging role

02 August 2015
Features
02 August 2015
Volume 7 · Issue 8

Search and Rescue (SAR) winchmen are part of a four-person team crewing SAR helicopters around the UK. They are on-call 24 hours a day to be winched down to rescue and provide emergency care to casualties in austere, otherwise inaccessible locations. Predominantly aviators and rescuers, as well as being paramedics, they are called upon to work in the most challenging conditions, necessitating great skill and courage (BBC News, 2015). This article will critically analyse the paramedic role of the winchman through exploration of its current and future enhancements. It will begin by critically debating its development, focusing on the tactical and strategic empowerment that the recent transition to higher education has brought. It will then reflect critically on the difficulties of developing the role into one of advanced practice. It will critique the challenges involved in advancing clinical capabilities to provide a more appropriate, cost-effective solution within the wider health workforce to dealing with victims of major trauma in austere, inaccessible locations.

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