Paramedic
Paramedics work in rapid response ambulance units to deal with medical emergencies. Such emergencies may include minor injuries, sudden illness, and casualties arising from road and rail accidents, criminal violence, fires and other incidents. Paramedics are usually the first senior healthcare professionals on the scene and they assess the patient’s condition and initiate specialist medical treatment and care before admission to hospital.
The primary goal of paramedics is to meet people’s immediate treatment needs. They resuscitate and stabilise patients by using advanced life support techniques, administer drips, drugs and oxygen, and apply splints, and also assist with complex hospital transfers.
Paramedics deal with a wide range of patients who may be suffering from a variety of complaints. The response of a paramedic may vary but typical work activities include:
The minimum qualification required for entry in the field of paramedics is a diploma in higher education in paramedical science, but many paramedic courses are now offered at a BSc level.
Over 20 UK universities offer a range of paramedical qualifications at foundation degree, diploma and BSc degree level. These can be taken on a full-time, sandwich or part-time basis. Roughly 40% of the course is spent gaining work experience on ambulance and hospital placements, the other 60% on theoretical studies. A list of approved courses is available on the Health Professions Council (HPC) website.
A pre-entry postgraduate qualification is not needed.
Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
Other requirements include:
Useful pre-entry experience includes:
Find out more by visiting an ambulance station and check the Ambulance Service Network to keep up to date with current issues.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
In order to practise, paramedics must be registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC) . Paramedics must comply with HPC regulations in order to remain on the register.
Many ambulance trusts will train new recruits in emergency driving, which usually consists of a three to four week course.
The HPC requires all health professionals on the register to undertake continuing professional development (CPD). Paramedics are required to keep a record of their CPD. From summer 2008, selected paramedics will have to provide evidence of CPD relating to their previous two years of practice. The evidence will have to show that the CPD a paramedic has undertaken has contributed to the quality of their practice and demonstrate that it benefited the service user.
Typically, paramedics can continue their development by undertaking work-based learning, professional activity, formal education or self-directed learning. Activities might include reading professional publications, attending conferences, work shadowing, or joining a professional specialist interest group. Various postgraduate qualifications are also available to qualified paramedics in subjects such as patient assessment and management,and physician assistant studies.
The British Paramedic Association (BPA) has developed an online CPD scheme which is a members-only benefit and meets all the requirements set by the HPC.
Within the National Health Service (see NHS Careers ) promotion opportunities are generally expanding. After two years as a fully qualified and experienced paramedic, you might be promoted to emergency services team leader.
Further promotion might lead to management posts in roles such as operational manager. Later, progression may be to senior posts such as area manager, assistant director of operations, or a senior position in the control room. Studying for management qualifications on a part-time basis will form part of the route to managerial positions.
Most senior officers have risen through the ranks and have operational experience. Having a degree in paramedical science may enhance prospects for first and second line management positions, as will a willingness to relocate.
The role of paramedic is developing to include roles in new clinical areas. For example, paramedics may work alongside doctors and nurses as emergency care practitioners (ECPs) based in health centres, GPs' surgeries, minor injuries units, hospital accident and emergency departments and community hospitals. Opportunities also exist in some locations for specialist work with motorcycle, rapid response car or air ambulance (helicopter) units.
You could also move to related occupations in health care, either in a clinical role, such as nursing, or into non-clinical careers, such as NHS trust management and administration, training and development, health and safety and personnel, obtaining specialist qualifications en route. Careers in other uniformed services, such as the armed forces, police or fire service, are also an option, as are lecturing posts on paramedical science courses.
Most paramedics work for the National Health Service (NHS) (see NHS Careers ), and are recruited and employed in individual NHS trust ambulance services covering specific geographical areas.
Ambulance services are usually committed to having at least one paramedic on each emergency ambulance. Job opportunities are therefore generally good, but the number of vacancies varies between regions across the UK.
Other employers include the armed forces, private ambulance services, overseas health departments and oil and gas exploration companies. There is also the option of working for private paramedical agencies for occasions such as sporting fixtures, major events or on film and TV sets. Other opportunities exist as first-aid instructors and health and safety trainers.
Information about the range of employment available to ambulance personnel is available from the Ambulance Service Network .
Specialist recruitment agencies, such as Health Career Net , occasionally handle vacancies on behalf of NHS ambulance services, sometimes for block recruitment of staff in certain geographical areas. Agencies also handle vacancies for specialist posts, for example, for paramedics based at sporting venues. See the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) to search for agencies by type of vacancy and location.
A list of private ambulance agencies who cover specialist events is available from the Paramedic Resource Centre . Check for job postings on individual company websites.
Some NHS ambulance services, as well as agencies, operate registers for relief or shift-cover paramedic work.
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