Operational Paramedic Interview Preparation Guide

Download PDF

☛ Rural paramedics focus on the whole community rather than case dispatch approach
☛ Rather than operating solely with ambulance teams, it operates with multidisciplinary team members
☛ It has extra responsibilities

Away from the patients, there has recently been an increase in form filling with procedures a little complicated and ill thought out. Streamlining these would be most welcome.

I enjoy teamwork, I value other peoples ideas and enjoy making group decisions as much as I enjoy making my own. I feel as though I work well in the group dynamic as I can also bring new ideas to the table and I feel as though my personality helps me to work in harmony with other members of staff.

If it is a minor burn, then cool the burn by immersing it into the cold water.

First-degree burn:
☛ Cooling will reduces swelling by conducting heat away
☛ Use sterile gauze bandage to cover the burn
☛ Give over-the-counter pain killer

Third-degree burn:
☛ Do not expose large severe burns in cold water or running tap
☛ Don’t remove burned clothing it could make burn more severe
☛ Check for signs of circulation and begin CPR if there is no sign
☛ Cover the area of the burn
☛ Give a tetanus shot

I would prove my worth and let them know when I need help and not pretend to know everything and admit my faults. I would let them know I am will to help with whatever they need without being abused, for lack of a lighter term.

The main difference between EMT and Paramedics is that, basic EMT training receives 120-150 hours of training while paramedics get anywhere from 1200 hours to 1800 hours of training. Paramedic degree course duration is about two years.

You are an NHS Trust organisation, you cover a massive geographical area that includes urban and rural areas, as well as busy motorways. Yo respond to half a million calls per year.

I would analyse what was happening to make an assessment of what was happening . This would enable me to be focused on the task and reduce my stress. In the past I have had to deal with major accidents on the water. The worst being when a chentleman fell over board with a rope around his leg. This was dragging him face down. If I had panic he would of drowned instead I stopped the boat and got his head above water. Then checking his legs dealt with the major bleeding that had happened.

☛ Paramedics often work in emergency scenes to provide immediate medical attention to injured individuals
☛ The operate heart monitors, defibrillators and other equipment’s, transport patients to medical facilities and interpret reading recorded by heart monitoring devices
☛ Perform endotracheal procedures and give important information to emergency staff
☛ Clean areas that become contaminated from patients
☛ Make sure equipment is functioning properly

After seizure:

☛ Check the person for injuries
☛ Turn the person in a position that is more relaxed and easy for him to breath
☛ If person is having trouble breathing, use your finger gently to clear any obstruction in his mouth
☛ Loosen tight clothing around the person’s neck and waist
☛ Take the victim to a safe and spacious area where he/she can rest
☛ Until the person is not fully awake don’t give them to eat or drink

☛ Safety first: Make sure that victim is in a safe location.
☛ Check for ABC: Airway, Breathing and Circulation
☛ Stop Bleeding
☛ Look for other injuries: Head, Neck or Back
☛ With sterile dressings cover broken skin if there is any
☛ Wait for an ambulance, while shifting make sure the joints remain immobilize
☛ To reduce swelling you can use ice-bag, put towel between ice and skin surface to avoid frostbite
☛ If leg is broken, keep it elevated above the level of the heart
☛ Lay the victim on his or her back to reduce the chance of shock

Yes. I remember missing many IVs, but especially one on a critical patient that had huge veins. I then heard from my preceptor a tip for putting in the IV and since then I have been able to get the IV nearly every time. It pays off to listen to constructive criticism.

I have had loss in my life and personally I believe that death needs to be treated with a huge amount of respect and dignity. However I understand that in this profession death can play a big part and understand that there cannot be anything that gets in the way of doing the job and so I have and would face death with a brave and professional face but also make sure that my empathy for relatives is felt.

Variety, and the ability to practice pretty much autonomously within certain guidelines, and the fact that I enjoy meeting a people from all different backgrounds.

Nebuliser is used for treating Cystic fibrosis, COPD, asthma and respiratory diseases

☛ Perform CPR on a person who has suffered a heart attack
☛ Deliver a baby if it is not possible to reach a hospital
☛ Stabilize car accident victims and move them to the nearest hospital

I attended an emergency at an airfield and due to the nature of the emergency I needed to see all of those people aboard the aircraft. They were all more superior than myself and did not consent straight away. I was under a lot of pressure first of all to attend the emergency quickly with all the kit I required. Secondly, I had a duty of care to those who refused my treatment so I managed to convince them to be seen.

Compassion, understanding, fitness, an ability to work as part of a team, and a great personality to face the public with.

☛ Respirator
☛ Blood Sample tubes
☛ Automatic blood pressure device
☛ Laryngoscope ( Adult & Paediatrics)
☛ Paediatric feeding tubes
☛ Nasogastric tubes

As Paramedics, life threatening seizures of an epileptic person can be treated by giving them injections of Valium or Benzo-diazepine drugs till the patient reach to the hospital

By limiting their effect as far as possible, including obtaining the appropriate treatment for injuries and by keeping my employer fully informed of any impacts on my work.

Firstly I am bilingual which is very convenient when patients are more comfortable speaking in their mother tongue. I also have a very unique work experience coming from an isolated community. I am used to having little to no resources, no allied services, working with language barriers. Since I was a part time paramedic I am also used to switching partners and adjusting to different team chemistry.

They could have eac paramedic specialze in a certain area of incidents. This means the victims will be distributed the staff that are most experienced within the type of situation.

I would focus mainly on patient treatment and fill out the paperwork later. I would make sure in the quick time between the calls I can get whatever supplies out that I can. In these instances there is really nothing else you can do but focus on the patient.

Paramedics are aware of pressure points, and they can apply direct pressure to the injury from where bleeding occurs. The pressure points will lessen blood flow to the injury site, which causes slower haemorrhage from the site.