im a registered nurse and have many paramedic friends and have worked in ED, its very difficult and yes on your placement it is requirement to do night shifts, its not a permanent thing but in most medical professions you have to do them to share the load with the other employees, there are a few who do it fulltime but not many. There are also different levels of paramedics as there are with doctors and nurses and depending on the level depends on the workload. The degree also has a fitness requirement. Its very hard and has less pay than even a registered nurse and ive got friends who do 14 to 16 hour shifts due to understaffing, but then again i dont know where you live. if you are determined enough and willing to get through the crappy training schedule, for no pay i might add. then go for it it!!! i chose nursing over paramedics due to the higher pay level and the easier hours. Also many RN's are ex paramedics so i dont know how enjoyable the job is either. Can you tell im hoping you will consider nursing? you also spend alot of time sitting round emergency waiting for us to find a bed for the patient and its almost like being a taxi sometimes! but please dont let what ive said turn you off but best you know before hand, like any job there are pros and cons but if you have little ones its prob best to think about it coz if you have committments you will never finish a shift on time trust me!
Same as PP, Im an ex ED RN.
I'm not sure if you realise that you have to be an ambo and work your way up the ranks to be a prarmedic....or at least that was the way it was when I applied some years ago.
As a 000 worker still, it is very unlikely that you will get out of night work as a new person on the job. Ambos in NSW do lots and lots of OT usually cos they are stuck somewhere with no replacement. Also like the cops they can send you anywhere in the state once you finish your training.
Sorry hun, didn't meanto sound so negative cos I'm a true believer in following dreams, but sometimes there are hidden nasties too that you should be aware of.
My DH is a paramedic and he loves it (despite the fairly crappy pay and dodgy shifts). He did all his training on the job as a student paramedic with QAS rather than going to uni (kinda like an apprenticeship - much better for us as you get paid to do it and DH doesn't cope well with the stress of uni, plus you're guaranteed a job). DH qualified as an advanced care paramedic at the start of this year. Sorry I can't help you much with your specific questions as it would be different in NSW to Qld but if you have any other general questions we'd be happy to help.
Oh, another suggestion - in Qld some QAS stations will allow you to do a ride along with a crew for a shift to see what happens and if it would be the right fit for you. It might be worthwhile approaching the OIC of your local station to see if this is possible in NSW.
Another ED RN Paramedic training has changed so they are ALL known as paramedics now. There used to be different levels that could do different skills. They are trying to take away some tiers and train staff up. There are the *real* paramedics (sorry - no offence meant to the other ambos, just there IS a very big difference in skill levels even if they are named similar) and then the other ambos who have a variety of skills. As with all professions, there are exceptional one and some not so. It is just more difficult to tell who has been trained to do what now.
How long you are with a partner for - during training I think it rotates but with the changes I am no longer sure. They used to spend 3-6 months with the one person before going to someone else, and sometimes a different station.
Part time is possible - some of my friends do it. However, the night shift thing ..... I think if you are working on the road you will continue to do a rotating roster. They work from 8am to 6pm (day) and 6pm to 8am (night). Usually 2 days, 2 nights then 4 off (roughly). There is, however, no guarantee you will ever get off on time. If you are stuck in ED or at a job you need to wait to be relieved which can take time and be low priority. If you work in admin / headquarters you are generally on day shifts.
Hope that help - even if I am not a paramedic either
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you also spend alot of time sitting round emergency waiting for us to find a bed for the patient and its almost like being a taxi sometimes! but please dont let what ive said turn you off but best you know before hand, like any job there are pros and cons but if you have little ones its prob best to think about it coz if you have committments you will never finish a shift on time trust me!
Paramedic training has changed so they are ALL known as paramedics now. There used to be different levels that could do different skills. They are trying to take away some tiers and train staff up. There are the *real* paramedics (sorry - no offence meant to the other ambos, just there IS a very big difference in skill levels even if they are named similar) and then the other ambos who have a variety of skills. As with all professions, there are exceptional one and some not so. It is just more difficult to tell who has been trained to do what now.
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