Paramedic Science 

Life as a Paramedic:

Paramedics provide emergency care to people in critical situations. They respond to 999 calls to often deliver life-saving treatments on the scene of emergency or whilst transporting patients to hospitals. Their response has to be rapid as the calls may involve accidents, strokes or other urgent situations; once on the scene, they have to evaluate safety and analyse the patient's condition. Assessments need to be performed with haste whilst monitoring vital signs and any life threatening conditions need to be prioritised and treated. It may be that you have to administer life staving care such as:

• CPR (chest compressions)

• Intubation to help airways

• Defibrillation 

• Provision of fluids and medication

• Management of severe bleeding, burns or injuries

It is important that once care is administered, patients have to be transported to hospital and care will continue to be administered in the journey. It is also important that paramedics are able to communicate and coordinate with the hospital staff (relay details about the patients to emergency staff) and patients/family (providing support and comfort to those in a high stress situation and explain interventions).

As well as working on ambulances paramedics can also work in multiple settings including general practice, minor injury units, urgent care centres, walk-in centres and accident and emergency (A&E) departments, telehealth and telecare services and in remote and offshore sectors. Paramedics in some of these settings often undertake advanced clinical assessments and take the responsibility for the ongoing care provided to patients, in addition to onward referral and discharge.