Details on the training required to become a critical care paramedic have been revealed by NSW Ambulance.
In a statement, NSW Ambulance said that every year intensive care paramedics had the opportunity to become critical care paramedics by passing the rigorous testing regimen Helicopter Operations Suitability Testing (HOST).
“Forget the typical classroom; in this training academy, desks and whiteboards make way for sheer cliff faces, treacherous canyons and raging seas,” NSW Ambulance said.
“Lessons are held in the pouring rain, the scorching heat and the frigid cold,” it said.
“It’s where escaping from a submerged helicopter cabin as waves crash around you is a compulsory subject and propelling yourself out of one soon becomes second nature.”
NSW Ambulance said the role of a critical care paramedic was an exciting one and a pivotal part of NSW Ambulance, “but much like every specialised unit, it’s not for everyone”.
The Service said HOST tested a range of competencies including physical fitness; clinical aptitude; concentration; situational stress testing; and a range of other skills.
It said that during the most recent testing session, potential critical care paramedics were thrown into a mock situation and marked on how they assessed the scenario and treated the patients.
“The chaotic scene, which was staged and set-up perfectly by the educators, involved a couple of painters who had fallen from scaffolding at a job site,” the Ambulance Service said.
“One had a compound fracture and arterial bleed in the leg, while the other had a head injury and was unconscious but no other visible injuries.”
It said that while working alone with little light and with blaring music playing in the background, the paramedics being tested had to demonstrate how they would tackle the situation.
“These are respected intensive care paramedics who have all excelled out on the road, but throw in a few of the elements that are regular obstacles for a critical care paramedic and it’s a whole new ballgame,” NSW Ambulance said.
It said that not everyone made it through HOST but for those who were determined to become a critical care paramedic, the testing provided an opportunity to upskill before having another go at joining the specialist team.
