To consider being a paramedic

[Hiddencomic]

Posting for traffic really… Im 39, two primary school age kids and well, bloody sick of the corporate world. I feel a strong drive to do something that gives back to society. I’m not considering it blind…I’ve registered interest in being a first responder
as a starter for ten. What concerns me (apart from a pay cut and the competitive nature of getting in) is shift work. Any paramedics out there..what’s a typical shift pattern? How do you work round the kids.. how far in advance do you know all your shifts? Oh works a 9-5 (that’s never 9-5!) mostly from home which would help. I know it would be a stressful but ultimately rewarding job.. just wonder if at 39 I’d be mad to consider such a shift in career. Mid life crisis I think 😔

Hi I’m not a paramedic but I’m on 111 …. Shift work is expected obviously but you can more or less pick your own shifts. In a year or so I’ve never had a shift choice drastically changed that I haven’t been able to swap or fix. How does that sound as a started in health care?

(111 is via the ambulance service btw)

I know a few paramedics. Be prepared to regularly work over the end of your shift. You can't just clock off when you are with a patient.

The one paramedic I know works a rolling set shift pattern, something like 2 night shifts, then 2 day shifts, then 4 days off. Shifts are 12 hours, but obviously can't just clock off on the dot a lot of the time.

Shift work is brutal. There is no chance in hell that I'd take another job that involved night shifts, and definitely definitely not 12 hour ones. They're terrible for your physical and mental health, social life and relationships.

I would say you are a bit mad to consider it OP, maybe just volunteer as a first responder on the side? If you earn good money, then you would be crazy to consider taking a pay cut for such a stressful and thankless job. Sorry to be so negative!

I like shift work for the lifestyle, ie days off without kids during the week and less childcare needed. But undoubtedly it affects your health.

The paramedic degree has recently come in, so (in Northern Ireland at least) you can't just apply off the street for paramedic level any more. You need the degree. You could apply for emergency medical technician which is band 5 plus 25% unsocial.

Another good thing is that you can't be made to work overtime shifts on your rest days. You can of course be made to stay late on a working day if you're dealing with a call.

Have you thought about working in a hospital to

There are several routes in.
Degree entry - we have all ages apply and 39 is absolutely not the oldest by many years. But then there are the uni fees....

First responder is a good start but usually voluntary.

What's your local ambulance trust?
All have 'off the street' roles (which are helpfully all different names!)
My local trust has ECSW - emergency care support worker.
You'll have around 4 months of training including blue light driving then have a year to complete and consolidate that training, there are opportunities within each trust to eventually work up to Paramedic level.
Paramedics have a greater scope of practice than EMTs/ECSWs etc (more drugs, advanced airways and cannulation) but in reality, we all do the same job mostly.....

I've been with my trust for almost 24 years, I'm still here! Started as an EMT, worked up to paramedic level and just in the process of applying for a band 7 role within my trust.
Shift work can be hard, missing Christmas with family, birthdays or other social gatherings if you are used to being readily available.
Rotas vary from station to station and trust to trust.
I love the job, the last couple of years have been extremely stressful and at times frankly terrifying.

Posted too soon, work in a hospital to get experience.

Posted too soon....

I would say apply direct to your local trust for an entry level role, that way, you are getting paid and will see if the job suits you rather than shelling out for uni fees.

If you really want it, you will make it work.

Oh, and it's nothing like casualty!

The majority of calls are elderly fallers and mental health related problems. We seem to be a catch all these days - we are social workers/therapists and advisors with the odd bit of trauma or 'big sick' thrown in to keep skills up and interest going!

I didn't answer the question about Rotas very well...

As a new starter you will likely be on a relief rota, filling in gaps when other staff are off and likely not always at the same station working with the same person. These Rotas will be several weeks long, so you will have a rough idea if you are working days/lates or nights.

Once qualified (at any level, just not trainee) you could ask for flexible working/family friendly rotas or annualised hours - some colleagues will not do nights at all, some do only nights, whatever fits for them.

I work a rolling 12 week rota, 10 hour shifts, 30 minute break. 5 on, 4 off, escalating start times, always finishing on 1 or 2 nights, e.g. 6am, 7am, 2pm, 4pm, 10pm. 2 out of 12 weeks are relief where you’re covering leave or gaps in the rota. You’re supposed to get your shifts 4 weeks in advance and they’re usually all over the place.

Regular late breaks. You’re supposed to get your break between the 3rd and 6th hour of your shift so you either get it really early or you end up getting it late, sometimes so late they just finish your shift 30mins early.

Regular late finishes of 30 minute or more. I never plan anything on relief weeks on for after my shifts. You are likely to start on a full relief rota. I did 3 years of divisional relief when I started which was a nightmare, but nowadays they give you a base station and you do relief at the same station. Flexible working is really hard to get for frontline roles.

You won’t necessarily get your first choice of base station either. They’ll put you where there are gaps and you can then apply for a transfer but that takes
long time to get.

In our trust we have a couple of routes of entry.

1. Emergency Care Assistant apprenticeship or non-apprenticeship (band 3 once qualified)
2. Associate Ambulance Practitioner apprenticeship (band 4 once qualified)

You can then go on to do the paramedic apprenticeship. This can only be accessed by internal staff and you have to have been in at least 2 years before you can apply.

The other option is to go to uni as an undergrad, do the 3 year degree, register with the HCPC and enter as a newly qualified paramedic (band 5). After the 2 year NQP period you go to band 6.

We have plenty of people in their 30s and 40s doing a career change from all kinds of backgrounds. I’ve been dong the job for 20 years.

My shift line is a rolling 6 week rota incorporating 12 and 10 hr ‘days’ (09.30-21.30’s, 08-18.30’s), and lots of short ‘lates’ (18.30’s-02.00). It’s a pretty rubbish rota as it involves being out the house approx 19 evenings a month.

I know it in advance, so I can plan ahead a year etc. However, I have been doing this donkeys years, and all new paramedics in my trust are on the ‘reserve’ rota until such time a ‘line’ becomes available.

This means they are given 3 or 4 weeks notice of their shifts, and are expected to work 3 out of 4 weekends a month. It’s very difficult with kids, unfortunately. A few have put in for family friendly hours, but, realistically, nobody wants to work weekends and endless nights so it’s pretty hard to get authorisation to drop/change the above. Plus, new starters are on a ‘section 2’ contract (in my trust) and thus dropping weekends/nights would make a big difference financially as these shifts are more heavily weighted re unsocial hours.

Ah, the good ole section 2! 😫

This is all so helpful thank you! The hours do sound pretty gruelling.. but a 9-5 is also gruelling when you’ve totally checked out 😏those of you that are paramedics do you enjoy it?

To be honest, I moan about it a lot I suspect (at home! Not work). But that’s probably because I’m an old dinosaur and I can’t help comparing it to how it used to be, when most jobs were ‘proper’ emergencies. But, I’m never bored, and for me that’s really important. I almost left last year to wk in a GP surgery but didn’t in the end, as I knew I’d be bored. I find being bored really stressful.

Its not what you expect, I imagine. Most jobs are minor medical issues, social problems, huge numbers of mental health cases, basically we are who many people ring now to sort out issues who historically other services would have dealt with. If you can deal with that, without becoming frustrated, then you should be fine.

This.

You can’t be a Paramedic if you don’t know how to moan!

You will see the very darkest depths of humanity, but also some of the best. Cumulative PTSD is a thing if you don’t monitor and manage your mental health and well-being.

I look back on the early days fondly. Current times not so much. I am looking to get out soon tbh.

Ahh I think many people nearing the end of their careers reflect back on how it was at the start. My dad was a teacher and adored his job in the 80’s/90s.. beyond that.. hell. Such a shame. I can’t even begin to imagine how hard covid was either.. hats off to you all for sure. This has given me food for thought.. I’d def consider the on job training. Uni just wouldn’t be viable unless I came into some money! Is there not a shortage of paramedics Like there is with nurses/midwives?

Yes there is, hence big recruitment drives from overseas (usually Aussie)

It's not a job with any longevity anymore, well not for newer staff.
Years ago, you were a paramedic and that was it until you retired, now there are so many avenues and progressions which is great but it is a double edge sword. Staff join, gain their on the road experience and leave (for better things usually! Although the grass isn't always greener)

I do still love my job, yes it's often mundane stuff and yes we are champion moaners but there really isn't anything else I'd rather do.
I'm applying for 'promotion' but I'll still be clinical for the majority of the time.
I'm here 'til I retire. Or my back gives out, whichever comes first 😬

Hi op.

I have nothing to add except I can’t believe I came across this thread. I haven’t been on mumsnet for a while and the search “paramedic” gave me your thread posted just today.

I too have had a lightbulb moment where I want to do this. I work in a care type role and without sounding big-headed, I am bloody good at it, but have so much more to offer.

I am 30’s with four children. So it’s going to be at least next year before I can do anything about it. I’m in Wales and researching, it looks like the degree route is my only option. I am
however meeting a (young) past work colleague who left to do this, on Thursday. I am armed with lots of questions!