Frontline Empathy is a Two Way Street

Empathy may be a confusing and contrary word, but one with great value, particularly in providing a buffer against professional burnout and in building positive relationships with patients. As one of those "soft skills" integral to the paramedic's toolkit, it is encouraging to see how widely it appears in research, training, leadership and culture.

Paramedics in Pandemic "No Man's Land"

Together, through the worldwide pandemic we find ourselves drowning in, stand millions of paramedics, EMTs and frontline ambulance personnel. Despite our numbers, never has the prehospital arena felt so lonely. With so many messages coming from far and wide about how to pave the way through the good, the bad and the ugly of paramedicine right now, it made sense to put some of it down in words.

Ambulance Detectives

When we get it wrong at work…how does it feel?

If we make a mistake in provisional diagnosis and treatment…how does it affect our patient?

For those of us who feel comfortable that we’ve been "in the game" long enough that we don’t need to be concerned, it’s vital to remember that it’s not just new paramedics and healthcare professionals making errors. One of the most common causes of medical mistakes and misdiagnosis is that of overconfidence.

If Paramedics Had The Ego Of Ants

One of the subjects that comes up often in articles, blog posts, social media comments and in general ambulance related conversation is that of ego. Whilst we tend to use it as a negative reference, it’s important to remember that it does have some benefits.

Ambulance Driver or Paramedic?

As paramedics, whilst we often take great offence at being called ambulance drivers, the question is, when it’s our turn to drive, what exactly is it that we are providing? 

Do we fully engage in shared patient care with our attending partner, or do we switch off so that we can simply drive the ambulance and take it easy?