The day in the life of a paramedic is extremely varied and interesting. Have you ever wondered what sort of things paramedics get up to, what time they get up and how their day unfolds? We’ve got all the answers! In this blog, we’ll show you the day in the life of a paramedic!
Our paramedic is named Nathan. Nathan has been a fully trained paramedic for just over 3 years now. Let’s run through his day.
A Day In The Life Of A Paramedic: Morning Shift
Monday Evening
Nathan’s day actually starts the night before. In order to make sure he is organised, Nathan irons and prepares his uniform and ensures that all of his equipment is on hand to guarantee he won’t be late. This means finding his ID card, keys, a pen, money, belt clips and other essential tools, and placing them in a position where he can easily locate them the following morning. Nathan goes to bed early, at 9:30 on the dot.
Tuesday
Nathan gets up at 5am the next morning. He has a quick shower and makes himself breakfast. As Nathan explains, it’s really important to eat before you set out as a paramedic, because often you will find yourself rushing around and using energy. It’s crucial that you feel energised and ready, because patients need you. If you can’t give them 100% of your attention or care, or are distracted by issues such as hunger, then you are risking their lives.
Nathan leaves the house at 6am. It takes him 15 minutes to get to work, where his shift begins at 6:30am. He has a quick cup of tea and then jumps into his favourite RRV to begin the day. Before he sets out, Nathan makes sure that he logs in to the computer dispatch system. He then awaits the first signal to go. The signals that you receive from HQ are a core part of a day in the life of a paramedic.
6:45am
Nathan’s first job comes at 6:45. He is called to an incident about 10 minutes away. The patient in question is a 60 year old man, who has taken a nasty fall. When Nathan arrives, he finds the man’s daughter waiting anxiously by the door. After being shown in, he attends to the victim. The man is in some pain, and appears to have hurt his ankle. Already someone who walks with the aid of a stick, Nathan is very concerned about the impact that this could have on the man’s movement. However, Nathan’s job is to deal with life threatening injuries. He provides the woman with advice on where her local A&E department can be located, gives the man some advice on how to take care of his injury, and then hits the road again.
7:45am
Nathan’s next dispatch is to a house about 5 minutes down the road. An elderly woman’s carer has put in the call to say that upon entering the house, she found the woman to be unresponsive. Nathan arrives on the scene as quickly as he can, with his defibrillator in hand, to try and deliver emergency medical care. The woman is still breathing, but when his attempts to resuscitate her fail, he is forced to call for backup. Fortunately, an ambulance is on hand about 5 minutes away, and responds quickly to the call. Unfortunately, the woman later dies in hospital.
10am
At 10am, Nathan is called to East Grinstead train station. A member of the public has been badly injured in a fight, and has facial and bodily injuries. When Nathan arrives on the scene, he finds that the area has been cordoned off by a police. After being let through, he tends to the victim, who has a slow pulse and is breathing heavily. The man is conscious however, and allows Nathan to stitch up his head wound. With the help of another 2 paramedics on the scene, Nathan loads the man into a separate ambulance. The man later made a full recovery from his injuries.
12pm
At 12pm, Nathan takes his half hour lunch break. He grabs a coffee in a local service station and a sandwich, before waiting on his next call. As Nathan explains, it’s extremely important to use this time effectively, and unwind. Paramedics have a high stress role, and need to be at their best mentally in order to provide the best care to their patients.
A Day In The Life Of A Paramedic: Afternoon Shift
13:30pm
Nathan’s next call comes at 13:30. He is directed to a local park just 10 minutes away, where a boy has called for urgent assistance. When Nathan arrives on the scene, he spends 5 minutes looking around before telephoning back to the service desk for assistance. There does not appear to be anyone there. It ultimately emerges that this was nothing more than a prank call. As Nathan explains, this can be extremely damaging. Not only does he have to drive at high speeds to get there (risking his own life in the process) but the time spent at the park could have been spent saving a patient who actually needs it. The call is eventually traced back to a 16 year old boy, who is charged with wasting emergency response time. In total, this incident took up almost 45 minutes of Nathan’s day.
14:20pm
At 14:20 pm, Nathan is called to his final job. The house in question is 15 minutes away, and Nathan has to drive fast to get there. When he arrives, he finds a family gathered around an elderly lady, who is having chest pain and difficult breathing. He learns that the woman is an asthma sufferer, who has compounded her problem by smoking. The woman is racked with violent coughs, and claims that her chest is extremely tight. Recognising the need for immediate medical support, Nathan telephones for an ambulance, and while he waits – applies appropriate paramedical treatment. The woman seems a little better by the time the ambulance arrives, but later suffers a heart attack in hospital. Fortunately, she made a full recovery.
15:45pm
Nathan returns to the hospital, and returns his RRV. He is exhausted after the long day, and has finished over half an hour later than he should have done. He signs himself out using the dispatch system, and makes his way back home. For more information on the role of a Paramedic, visit the NHS Paramedic Website .
Hi there Nathan,
Just a quick question really as I am just joining the service. When you are a Paramedic, do YOU have the choice as to whether or not you are assigned to a RRV? I would rather work from a normal ambulance with a 2 man crew.