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My first paramedic shift taught me to expect the unexpected My first paramedic shift taught me to expect the unexpected
(about 1 hour later)
It’s Friday evening and I’m petrified, about as frightened as I’ve ever been in my life. It’s my first shift on a proper, frontline, emergency ambulance. Tonight, real people will depend on me to look after them; their lives will be in my hands. I can’t quite believe it – why did I ever sign up to this?It’s Friday evening and I’m petrified, about as frightened as I’ve ever been in my life. It’s my first shift on a proper, frontline, emergency ambulance. Tonight, real people will depend on me to look after them; their lives will be in my hands. I can’t quite believe it – why did I ever sign up to this?
I’m crewed up with a nice experienced paramedic who will no doubt look after me, but it’s still terrifying. I’ve opted to attend for the first six hours of the shift, so I’ll be in the back with the patients.I’m crewed up with a nice experienced paramedic who will no doubt look after me, but it’s still terrifying. I’ve opted to attend for the first six hours of the shift, so I’ll be in the back with the patients.
We sign on and the shift starts at seven o’clock. We wait for the first job.We sign on and the shift starts at seven o’clock. We wait for the first job.
Nothing happens for the first half an hour and this almost makes it worse. My crew mate sits watching the television, perfectly calm; she’s seen it all before. I sit watching the screen but take nothing in, while I try to stop my heart hammering away.Nothing happens for the first half an hour and this almost makes it worse. My crew mate sits watching the television, perfectly calm; she’s seen it all before. I sit watching the screen but take nothing in, while I try to stop my heart hammering away.
And then finally, it happens. The buzzers on our pagers go off and we have a job. I jump up and get in the ambulance, wondering if I’ll have a heart attack or throw up first.And then finally, it happens. The buzzers on our pagers go off and we have a job. I jump up and get in the ambulance, wondering if I’ll have a heart attack or throw up first.
Halfway to the scene the details of the job come over. Male, 40s, blood gushing from ear. Conscious and breathing.Halfway to the scene the details of the job come over. Male, 40s, blood gushing from ear. Conscious and breathing.
“What is this?” I think. “Blood gushing from his ear? What from? An injury? A major cerebral bleed? Bloody hell. What on earth do I do?”“What is this?” I think. “Blood gushing from his ear? What from? An injury? A major cerebral bleed? Bloody hell. What on earth do I do?”
My crew mate remains icily calm and says nothing as she drives to the job, which has been called in from a phone box in the town centre. Then we see the call box with the caller still in it. All she does is sigh.My crew mate remains icily calm and says nothing as she drives to the job, which has been called in from a phone box in the town centre. Then we see the call box with the caller still in it. All she does is sigh.
“It’s Billy.” she says.“It’s Billy.” she says.
“Billy?” I think. “Billy? What does that mean? Who’s he?”“Billy?” I think. “Billy? What does that mean? Who’s he?”
I jump out of the ambulance and head towards the patient. He’s a man in his 40s, dressed in dirty clothes, with a tiny trickle of dried blood coming from his ear. He is drunk and filthy.I jump out of the ambulance and head towards the patient. He’s a man in his 40s, dressed in dirty clothes, with a tiny trickle of dried blood coming from his ear. He is drunk and filthy.
I lead him to the ambulance and get him on board and, with shaking hands, take his pulse and wash his ear which has a tiny scratch on it. He doesn’t seem unwell otherwise but is obviously drunk. My crew mate looks on silently, her face a mask.I lead him to the ambulance and get him on board and, with shaking hands, take his pulse and wash his ear which has a tiny scratch on it. He doesn’t seem unwell otherwise but is obviously drunk. My crew mate looks on silently, her face a mask.
“Shall we head off?” she says.“Shall we head off?” she says.
We go to the hospital, where I manage to hand the patient over with his scratched ear to the staff, who are not exactly impressed with his injuries. It turns out Billy is a regular visitor to the hospital, usually drunk, complaining of either self-inflicted injuries or no injuries at all. But I’ve got him to hospital alive, and therefore done my job, and survived. Hooray! I even took his blood pressure on the way to hospital.We go to the hospital, where I manage to hand the patient over with his scratched ear to the staff, who are not exactly impressed with his injuries. It turns out Billy is a regular visitor to the hospital, usually drunk, complaining of either self-inflicted injuries or no injuries at all. But I’ve got him to hospital alive, and therefore done my job, and survived. Hooray! I even took his blood pressure on the way to hospital.
“You did what?” asks my crew mate.“You did what?” asks my crew mate.
“I took his blood pressure,” I reply.“I took his blood pressure,” I reply.
“You bloody idiot,” she says. “It’s Billy. You might’ve got your equipment dirty.”“You bloody idiot,” she says. “It’s Billy. You might’ve got your equipment dirty.”
That’s how I joined the ambulance service, years ago. It was hardly exciting, though I wasn’t worried about that, I was just relieved. There was plenty of time for the nasty jobs later.That’s how I joined the ambulance service, years ago. It was hardly exciting, though I wasn’t worried about that, I was just relieved. There was plenty of time for the nasty jobs later.
Most of the fear leaves you after a while, but not all of it. I still feel frightened going to some jobs even if I’m confident it won’t show. The other day I was on my own in a car and a call came in about a female with multiple stab wounds who was unconscious in the street. Her friend was doing CPR on her and screaming.Most of the fear leaves you after a while, but not all of it. I still feel frightened going to some jobs even if I’m confident it won’t show. The other day I was on my own in a car and a call came in about a female with multiple stab wounds who was unconscious in the street. Her friend was doing CPR on her and screaming.
Related: Paramedic: most patients we take into A&E don’t need to be there
That one got my heart going but it was a hoax as well.That one got my heart going but it was a hoax as well.
I’m philosophical about the nuisance calls now – the ones where people don’t need an ambulance or, in some cases, any medical help at all. Sometimes they can just be funny, and the service works hard to weed most of them out. Some are bound to get through and you can have a whole shift full of them, especially on a Saturday night.I’m philosophical about the nuisance calls now – the ones where people don’t need an ambulance or, in some cases, any medical help at all. Sometimes they can just be funny, and the service works hard to weed most of them out. Some are bound to get through and you can have a whole shift full of them, especially on a Saturday night.
Even the hoax calls are a valuable lesson in expecting the unexpected, however. Some jobs aren’t as serious as they sound. Others can be worse than they appear.Even the hoax calls are a valuable lesson in expecting the unexpected, however. Some jobs aren’t as serious as they sound. Others can be worse than they appear.
The author has worked for a major ambulance service NHS trust since 2003. He is about to publish a book about his life in the ambulance service.The author has worked for a major ambulance service NHS trust since 2003. He is about to publish a book about his life in the ambulance service.
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