Becoming yourself

When I was a student, I looked at all of my mentors through rose-tinted glasses. To me, they were superheroes—fountains of prehospital knowledge who made everything look easy. Yes indeed, there was no situation too hard for them to manage, and no question too difficult—they either gave me the answer straight up or intentionally withheld it, opting instead to set me on the path to enlightenment. ‘… That's an interesting question Barry, but I want to know what you think the answer is,’ or my personal favourite—’… that's a good question Barry, that will aid you in your reflective journey; however, to give you the answer now would only inhibit this vital process and your growth as a student paramedic.’ To me, my mentors were the barometer with which I gauged ‘perfection’, and that one day I would be as cool, knowledgeable, and savvy as they were.

Jump forward 4 years—I am a newly qualified paramedic (NQP) over a year into my practice on a busy shift. A student has just asked me a question and I know, deep within my very soul, I have no idea what they are talking about, or what the answer to said question is. Instead of throwing their questions back at them as a means to avoid looking incompetent, I decided to come clean and directed them to a real mentor who almost certainly knew more.