I'm a paramedic AMA

[Blobbyweeble]

I've been a paramedic for 10 years working for an NHS trust in England. Happy to answer anything whilst observing patient confidentiality.

How old is too old to train as a paramedic and what qualifications do you need?

@schooltripwoes We’ve got brilliant paramedics who qualified aged 60 so never too late. Normally need either science a levels or a health and social care access course. Best to get in touch with the local trust to find out the individual requirements as they can differ.

Thank you so much Blobby

I have Avery good career in finance but my dream was/is to be a paramedic but I've heard the wages aren't good and a lot of paramedics are leaving the industry because of paperwork and rubbish hours etc. Do you feel that way?

@pinkhorse No, I’m paid around 33k, the job is tough and the hours long but I love it. I used to work in finance but wouldn’t change what I do now for the world.

What are your thoughts on the NHS direct service? I've wondered ever since My youngest had croup a few months ago. She had already been in hospital and had steroids administered and we knew she may need a second dose. She did, so I followed the doctors advice and called NHS direct to ask for an appointment somewhere local to get a second dose administered, but was told it was a medical emergency and they were advising an ambulance. Thankfully someone from the ambulance service called me back to offer further advice and let me know how soon the ambulance was going to be etc, and agreed with me that actually I could just take her in the car. But it struck me that as the call handlers there are following a script and have very little medical knowledge, they quite possibly cause the ambulance services a lot of unnecessary work.

Thank you for everything you do. I don't think I have ever been so relieved to see anyone as I was when the paramedics arrived after DH had a seizure.

I came on to ask if you often deliver babies as I had a very fast labour and have been told that next time I probably won't make it to hospital. Bugger! I was told if you do have a fast birth you are less likely to have complications. Have the birth you have dealt with gone well?

@Blobbyweeble - good to know thanks. I have a BSc in biology and I'm in my mid thirties. I thought I'd left it too late .

My ds has recently turned 7 but if it wasn't for the wonderful paramedics who came out to us he would have died at 3 weeks.

One in particular made a point of finding us in the ICU , once his shift was over, to check up on ds. He said he couldn't stop thinking about him.

Do certain calls/cases effect you more than others?

And thank you! You all do such an amazing job.

@EnglandKeepMyBones Our workload increased by 35% when 111 came into being. I do sympathise with them though, in our increasingly litigious society they must find it very difficult.

I was first on the scene of a serious accident and when the ambulance arrived they seemed to have already decided that the person wasn’t going to make it, and seemed to be taking their time and the person later died. Do ambulance staff ever make that call or is that my addled mind recalling a horrible situation inaccurately?

@itchyknees It’s very difficult to say without being there. Sometimes things appear to be being done slowly but in reality rushing would cause more issues. Equally sometimes you know the injuries are incompatible with life and sadly there is nothing you can do even if the patient is initially breathing.

How do you feel towards drug addicts who have overdosed, then are abusive to you when you’ve “reversed” their overdose?

Thanks Blobbyweeble. I strongly suspect this was the latter, but how do you make that call? When do you give up hope, as it were?

@SheSparkles It’s like water off a ducks back so long as they don’t physically threaten me or my colleagues. I get more pissed off with patients who refuse to tell me anything because I’m just an ambulance driver so don’t need to know anything about what’s wrong with them.

@itchyknees There are very specific local protocols for this, it’s not something I’ve ever had to do in that situation thankfully and if I had to I’d be involving basics or hems doctors. Obviously I’ve called it in a cardiac arrest which is a lot easier.

Thanks for your reply. And for doing a great job.

Oh one more! In your opinion, would Princess Diana have stood a better chance if she had been treated under UK protocols rather than the French approach of stabilising at the incident?

@itchyknees I have no idea but we stabilise at scene, it would be negligent not to.

Thankyou

We had the paramedics out this morning after a 111 call because my 1 year old was struggling waking up/staying awake. I did say we could bring her to the hospital ourselves as she was breathing and responsive.

I feel like we wasted a huge amount of NHS resources being taken by ambulance... do you feel the same for cases like this?

It turns out she has pneumonia but the outcome would've been the same and saved the NHS £?????.

@Blobbyweeble thanks for answering. I’m not really surprised at your answer, I don’t suppose you’d be able to do your job if you didn’t take that stance. I’m way too judgemental about this kind of thing-I wish I wasn’t and I’m working on that!

Just wanted to say thank you.

We've had to use the ambulance service a few times over recent months due to ds starting with epilepsy. Now I'm understanding more we (no offence) won't be seeing you guys for a long time.

Thanks again!

Your comments on midwives and home births are interesting. When I was planning a home birth with DC2, I was told that if a MW couldn't attend, I was to call 999 and a paramedic would deliver my baby. I ended up giving birth with just my DH.

@ToadsforJustice We will do our best but we’d much rather either get you to hospital or get the midwifes there as they are the experts. There are so many things that can go wrong during delivery and we are not experienced, I’ve only delivered 2 or 3 babies in my time all normal deliveries. A breech or shoulder dystocia would be so scary, I’m sure I’d cope but it would be terrifying. Post partum haemorrhage would not be so bad as it’s basically the same as any other catastrophic haemorrhage.
If we couldn’t get a midwife to you I’d rather you were in hospital to be perfectly honest.
@MayorHumdinger No I don’t think that was a waste, your child had a reduced level of consciousness, if they deteriorated on the way we can do something. I don’t always agree with 111 decisions but in this case it sounds like it was the right one.