When I started the paramedic science course in September, I received my timetable for the entire first year. Although I didn't know my shift times yet, I knew the start and end dates of the blocks that I'd spend either at university or out on placement. I spent some time considering what I had to look forward to in the coming months when I suddenly realised that once fresher's week was over, I had just 5 weeks at university before I'd have to complete my first 12-hour shift on a vehicle responding to 999 calls—it was a terrifying thought. Don't get me wrong, I'd been waiting to get out on the road for a very long time but those few weeks sped by so fast. I soon found myself driving to High Wycombe ambulance station wearing full South Central Ambulance Service uniform for the first time, knowing that all I had learned so far was basic life support, the use of an automated external defibrillator and how to perform the primary survey.
Thankfully, my fears were unfounded. I learned so many basic skills—how to restock a vehicle, what's stored in each of the kit bags, how to perform a FAST test—all during my first shift. After we cleared from a job, I'd ask my paramedic mentor questions about the presenting condition or treatment if I hadn't encountered it before. Whenever needed, we'd have a short debrief to reflect and learn from the experience. I stayed within my scope of practice by taking a full set of observations and working on my communication skills with each patient. I became more confident with every call we dealt with. Having previously been a healthcare assistant, I knew how draining a 12-hour shift could be but, despite finishing an hour and a half late, the time flew by!
Throughout the next fortnight, I worked on both trucks and rapid response vehicles, which helped me gain more insight into the appropriate use of ambulance service resources. I found myself working alongside community first responders, private ambulance crews, and GPs and learned about the many different pathways available to patients. It surprises me that some patients still believe that calling 999 will result in a traditional ‘scoop and run’ trip to hospital in the back of an ambulance to see a clinician in the emergency department. Alternatively, patients are now assessed by a clinician in a pre-hospital setting so that treatment can begin without delay.
The two weeks of observational shifts came to an end so quickly but I felt that I had become much more competent after completing a mere six shifts at High Wycombe. Prior to starting the course, I was eager to learn clinical procedures, such as cannulation and airway management, but I now know that fundamental aspects of care, such as effective communication, need to be mastered first. I've worked with so many different crews since I started placement and I've learned something new from each of them, including at least three different orders to position electrodes for a 12-lead electrocardiogram. It's because I've learned so much in such a short period that I understand why we spend approximately fifty percent of our time out on placement—and I can't wait to get back on the road again!