Being the change

Transitioning from student to registered paramedic was one of the biggest jumps in my career. I remember turning up for my first shift as a qualified paramedic, completely disorientated to an unfamiliar station, people, protocols and one less person on an ambulance. Suddenly, all eyes turned to me in making decisions and coming up with treatment plans. While I had excellent crewmates to help me form these, I stilll felt the uneasiness of being the individual with the most ‘clinical authority’ in that moment and the sense that if I made the wrong plan, all my hard work for 3 years would be put to question.

However, instead of allowing myself to become overwhelmed, I rose to the challenge. This is what I prepared and studied so diligently for. Instead of being full of trepidation, I was brimming with excitement. I thought it odd I was like this: my friends and colleagues mentioned the fear of ‘losing their PIN’ and not having their mentor to validate their practice. While I resonated with these, I viewed them as another barrier to overcome and could not wait to do so.