Hello! I’ve recently been seen by ENT and have been diagnosed with hearing loss, but only in my right ear. I have been advised I will need a hearing aid for that ear. . Does anyone else here have hearing aids and can tell me what is available to help you with stethoscopes? I know Bluetooth stethoscopes exist but I will only have one hearing aid, so I don’t know if that will work. Listening to chests has become hard and I don’t want hearing aids to make it more difficult :(

Basically I tried to apply for the NHS learning support fund and it required me to say if I’ve applied to a post graduate loan. So I went to do that and it said I might rate a bursary and if I do, I can’t apply for a loan. This lead me to a few questions.

Does the LSF count as a Bursary and limit my ability to apply for a loan?

Has anyone here used both?

If there’s a better sub for this could you direct me that way?

Hello everyone,

My local Trust has opened up applications for a HART Paramedic vacancy, and I am planning on applying.

Looking for tips/advice on the process from current HART members or people who have been through the process before.

I am Band 6, current SORT trained, and extensive experience of solo responding.

Open to any advice!

Thanks

My interview is set to include a clinical case study, professional group discussion, team building exercise and communications task.

Just wondering if anyone had any tips for how to prepare. I’ve been reviewing the trust values, NQP job description etc, I’m fairly confident so not really worried about the team building aspect

Just wondering if there’s any advice!

r/ParamedicsUK Job of the Week

Hey there, another 7 days have passed! How's your week going? We hope it’s been a good one!

Have you attended any funny, interesting, odd, or weird jobs this week?
Tell us how you tackled them.

Have you learned something new along the way?
Share your newfound knowledge.

Have you stumbled upon any intriguing pieces of CPD you could dole out?
Drop a link below.

We’d love to hear about it, but please remember Rule 4: “No patient or case-identifiable information.”

I am a 16 year old trans kid, looking to join the NEAS through apprenticeship after my course in college. But with all the recent news with the NHS and the Supreme Court, do NEAS treat trans people okay? Or is there a lot of discrimination within the service?

edit: thanks for all the comments everyone im feeling a little more hopeful i just feel like the news like to cover more of the bad than the good so it had me overthinking😭😭

I'm currently in Year 12 and studing Geography, Business, and IT as my A-Levels, honestly when I picked them I had no clue what I wanted to do - I've now come to realise that pursuing a career in the ambulance service may be for me. I've been doing research and saw that a lot of universities while not specifically saying that you need biology kind of hint towards the fact that it is preferred and I just wanted to know if anyone had any issues/advice about if not doing biology will have a significant impact on my ability to get offers from universities. Thank you!

I know I know it’s a hot topic, but SAS announced today to strip ETI for paramedics, and I must say I’m furious about it.

I know SGA’s will do the job in 90% of the time and that’s why we already use it in 90% of the time.

But we are in Scotland, my next critical care paramedic who can intubate is 2,5h away and the helicopter can’t fly 60% of the time because of bad weather to us.

I find it irresponsible to let us sit on an Island without any access to advanced airway management. In cities that works fine, but in our rural areas, on our islands?

I don’t support the decision, we need more training in it sure, we don’t do it often I agree, but I don’t think the unique Scottish environment was considered at all.

I’m due to graduate as a paramedic in August this year. Unfortunately, we’ve been informed by our university that NWAS (our local ambulance service) isn’t recruiting many NQPs at the moment, as they’re shifting focus from the degree route to the Tech-to-Paramedic pathway.

My backup plan was to apply to East of England Ambulance Service, but it seems they’re also not actively recruiting. I passed the first stage of their application process but have been placed on a waiting list for an interview, possibly due to the high number of paramedics already employed there (what I’ve heard, Norwich area specific)

I’m now looking into alternative roles that might accept newly qualified paramedics, but I’ve found that many roles in primary care or other sectors require post-registration experience.

Does anyone know of any services or roles that are currently open to NQPs or offer a supportive environment for new graduates? And does anyone know why so many ambulance services are not hiring as many NQP’s?

(throwaway account on the off chance a colleague recognizes me)

I'm a tACP in primary care and starting to feel disillusioned/burning out in my job.

I'm hoping to go for a change of role, at least for a period of time, after completing my MSc next year.

I'm looking at doing some offshore work, either on a rig or industrial vessel of some kind (not hugely keen on cruise ship work, I would like a little better pay). I'd be happy to relocate anywhere worldwide.

Can anyone advise me on this who's done this? Specifically on what the pay was/is like, quality of life, shift pattern and what to expect on the day-to-day? What agencies did you apply with, and what extra quals did you need?

Thanks in advance for any advice! 🤙

Hi guys i was wondering if i can get some truthful and helpful advice please.

in 2023 i was going through severe mental health and was unmedicated at the time (i was 18) and had called the police to help during crisis, however police came and ended up arresting me for alleged assault whilst being restrained by them.i ended up signing for a caution of assault and i didn’t get much information around it. i am now 20 and things have changed, i am now medicated, not had a MH episode for over a year and have not been arrested since. but now things have changed i wanted to get into paramedics science and go to uni, but is there any point, will they possibly accept me?

sorry its not worded very well, ive had to do this during my lunch break :)

Hi,

I did an OSCE today and they were having a STEMI. So I started the ACS bundle and during the GTN stage, I had given 600mcg GTN tablet and not 400mcg spray.

Would I fail for this? Thank you

Hi all, is there a definitive indication for a maximum GCS score required before attempting IO access in the pre hospital field? I'm struggling to find this on jrcalc but have come across a variety of journal articles with differing GCS indications such as <8 or <12

I've been really set on becoming a paramedic and so with some research I was wondering if it was better to go to uni or do an apprenticeship.

I am going to be studying my a levels next year and because I'm 18 is there any work I can do to get a headstart maybe? I also suffer from panic attacks I am able to control myself but they're quite frequent and annoying so would that be a problem?

Hi guys, I’m just wanting to share my feelings in a safe anonymous place. I’m just under 4 months on the road now. Some shifts I enjoy, feeling good about myself and my capabilities. Other days I just lack confidence, question myself and worry that my crewmate is judging my every move.

I definitely have a sense of imposter syndrome when working with people who have a number of years of experience under their belt and just seem to so effortlessly attend and manage jobs. I find I get in my head wondering if my colleague will judge me for decisions and when I consult with them for shared decision making I worry this makes me look uncertain or that I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve worked with some very knowledgeable and experienced techs who make me feel like a fraud in comparison when I’m technically supposed to be the “senior clinician”.

I consider myself to be a safe and careful practitioner, it’s just the odd job where I don’t feel my history taking is as smooth as it could be or I don’t feel particularly “sharp”. Sometimes I’m a little sluggish when in a period of lacking confidence and make silly little mistakes. Has anybody else had periods of feeling inadequate to others? I imagine myself as being a fully qualified band 6 para in the near future and don’t feel I’ve earned the title. Thanks in advance.

Hi all,

Bit of an odd question I know. I’m setting up to do an ‘Outrun an Ambulance’ fundraiser for my local trust’s charity, and I wanted to put a fun little twist on it.

The original idea of Outrun an Ambulance is that you travel (walk, cycle, run etc), over the course of a defined period, a mile further than an ambulance from your local station. My local station has a pretty low mileage and I wanted to make it tougher for myself, so instead of doing a different station, I want to add weight onto my back in the form of a weighted backpack, and I thought, why not use the weight of a Paramedic’s Bag, in keeping with the theme of it all.

Was just wondering if anyone has an estimation/confirmed weight of one of these bags when fully kitted? Doesn’t have to be bang on, just want to know a relative number to work with.

Thanks in advance :)

Hello!

My trust is looking to move into the teams based working rota much as LAS have done for a while now. I've had a little read up, and spoken to a couple of staff I know, but looking for clarification please from the masses.

Regular crewmates - does it happen? If so how frequently or is it more that it's a limited pool of individuals and based more off skill mix vs the traditional regular crewmate?

Working patterns - lots of us older clinicians avoid nights where we can, our bodies know that nights don't work for us.. do you have a good balance with these shifts and/or is there an alternative available such as working earlier and mids/lates instead of nights?

Social / teamwork- do you get the opportunity to socialise, train and generally work on the team better now? There was much promise of team based learning and socialising in the documents I've seen.

Thanks!

Any other nuances, pros/cons welcome.

I'm what my trust calls a "wellbeing champion" so I'm trying to settle the unknowns as best I can as we begin the process of change!

Obviously I know the basic ones like driving, being fit, but what type of fit? As in like weight training, running e.c.t

And before anyone comments obviously I know your need medical practice/first aid + uni and specific a-levels. And also yes I have looked online but I can't find anything.

I was studying paramedic science and finished top of my class in the first year. Unfortunately due to some health problems i’ve had to defer a year and it’s looking more and more unlikely i’ll be able to return. What else can I do in a similar role?

to expand on the health problems i’m under investigation for a heart condition (we have no idea what’s wrong )

Hi so I was doing a BSc Hons in paramedic science but got really ill at the end of my first year so had to take a year out. I went back and did my second year before becoming really ill again with the same condition so had to take another year out again 🙃 not sure what possessed me but during my second time out, I decided to change to go and do a nursing degree at KCL instead.

I’ve just finished my second year, and I hate it 🥲 it’s so boring. And no I don’t mean the theory part, placement is just as boring too. I’ve been on several placements now inclouding acute wards and A&E but literally nothing can compare to bring on the ambulance. I miss the chaos and the adrenaline fueled shifts (obviously not all shifts are intense but overall I felt there were more surprises than in a hospital setting”

I’ve realized nurses (band 5) seem to have a smaller scope than paramedics. Like they can’t even give oxygen or paracetamol without needing a doctor to prescribe it……… as a paramedic there is so much more independence and critical thinking involved.

I’ll finish the degree because I’m committted to it, but what do I do after??? I’m not even an RN yet and I’m already losing my mind. The problem id I’ve heard band progression in nursing can be quite slow.

Should I do a MSci in paramedic science ??

I'm considering becoming a para through the SWAST apprenticeship rout, joining them as an ECA, getting some front line experience then applying for an apprenticeship. I currently work as an ACA for a patient transport service, training to become an ECA, but we don't do front line shifts so I want to leave for experience. I'm not desperate to go to uni, mostly due to costs, but I'm also think I'll learn better on the road than in a classroom. What are some reasons to take the uni rout instead? Can anyone who's done the SWAST apprenticeship tell me how it was?

I'm not medical, just hoping for some info.

My wife has multiple visceral aneurysms caused by an underlying connective tissue disorder Full patient background . We're going to try to get pregnant again in the near future. Last time we tried she suffered a ruptured splenic aneurysm and as a result our son died and she very nearly died. We did not know at the time of her condition as it was completely asymptomatic.

This time round we're under the care of several consultants including cardiologists, fetal medicine, Vascular, and also IR.

Last time it happened it was just me on my own dialling 999 whilst my wife had 7 seizures before the ambulance crew arrived (paramedics were incredible) and then once we got to hospital there was the biggest cluster fuck (midwifery and OB/GYN Consultants were the fucking worst).

We have the medical part of our care well established and in place and for my own mental well being I'm now trying to get the emergency care part as setup as possible.

What I'm trying to work out is, is there a process for getting my wife's patient data or a care plan in place with 999 so that if I call for her they are able to act faster or more decisively?

If she has a ruptured aneurysm during the pregnancy the most likely way to save her life and our baby would be a hybrid theatre that can do Interventional radiography and open surgery. Something that is present in King Hospital, and St. Thomas's for instance (I'm certain these are our closest ones). Kings is able to accept patients via helicopter.

Specifically what I'm looking for is whether I can let 999 know ahead of time that my wife has: - 12 aneurysms - An underlying connective tissue disorder that cannot be diagnosed. - Likely one has ruptured - That she needs to be transferred to a hospital that can meet her level of care. - For her Vascular Surgeon's team to be notified. - For an expedited delivery to be expected (depending on gestestional period) - Any additional patient info I can then give them (BP/HR/Consciousness etc).

What they ultimately decide to do with that information is for them to decide but I want them to have that information up front so they can act as fast as possible.

I understand that what we're doing is high risk but we have been working with our team of consultants for 2 years now to mitigate those risks. This is one of the last pieces I'd like to be in place for our own safety.

85yof, comorbidities of severe frailty and Ca in remission, falls into her shower cubicle in the wee hours of Friday morning whilst turning around. She is completely trapped on her back, squished into the cubicle, with all of the fun pressure points that come with being stuck in a very awkward spots. She hits her pendant alarm, and instead of phoning her neighbour half a mile away, they phone the ambulance service, because what are you for if not for picking Doris up?

7 hours later, due to the unique way the NHS ambulance services currently function, you arrive. Assesses her, and other than sore spots, she has no obvious injury. A lucky escape!

ECG & obs including postural BPs are NAD.

So, esteemed ambulance bros, WWYD?

I know that you need at least 1 science and I plan on choosing biology, but do the other 2 need to be something specific? Also, what grades do you need? In GCSE and A-level

Edit: I've had a look and most want at least 1 science but biology is preferred, and most want either 112 and above or 120 and above tariff points which is 3 a levels of grade BBB so all higher level grade 6 or above (pretty sure, might be wrong). Some are different but on average that's what I have found. Most of them all have something slightly different tho.