what qualifications do i need to be a paramedic in england?

Question

i want to be a paramedic but i would like to know what things i need to be one i.e. subjects?

Answer 1

Part of the accident and emergency service, paramedics work mainly for a local ambulance service within the National Health Service, responding to 999 and other urgent calls. On arrival at the scene of an accident, they assess the situation and take decisions quickly about emergency treatment and movement of the patient. They may work alone on a motorcycle or as part of a rapid response unit; alternatively, they may drive an ambulance, working alongside a technician. Paramedics are trained to use advanced life support techniques and can administer a range of drugs for emergency treatment. Emergencies can range from minor injuries to serious casualties in a major terrorist incident or road or rail accident.Although entry levels vary, you will find that most ambulance services recruit entrants initially as ambulance care assistants, offering internal promotion and further training as an ambulance technician. Some services offer direct entry programmes for ambulance technicians and some have cadet schemes.To progress to paramedic training, you should normally be over 21 and you must have worked for at least a year as an ambulance technician. You must pass an entrance examination and be able to drive both C1 and D1 vehicles. Some services ask for two A levels/H grades as evidence of your academic ability; others require at least four GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) or equivalent. It is sometimes possible for graduates to gain direct entry to ambulance technician trainee positions. There is also a degree course in paramedic science at the University of Hertfordshire and similar provision at Oxford Brookes University.Whatever your educational qualifications, experience of dealing with the public, especially the sick, disabled and elderly, is valuable. A first-aid certificate could be helpful, as could experience of driving a large vehicle.As a trainee ambulance technician, you would take an intensive 20-week course in pre-hospital emergency care, physiology and anatomy and emergency driving. You would then be assigned to an ambulance station to work under supervision for up to one year. Your extensive technician skills would include resuscitation, haemorrhage control and wound care, structure management and spinal injury care. You would also have to pass the written and practical examinations set by the national awarding body for ambulance qualifications.

To qualify as a paramedic, you must follow an additional intensive training course lasting 10 to 12 weeks. This consists of a mixture of theory and practical clinical experience, including several weeks in hospital departments such as the operating theatre, coronary care unit and accident and emergency department. Subjects studied include anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and advanced patient assessment. After passing your final assessment, you must register with the Health Professions Council, attend regular training and reassessment and re-qualify every three years.As a paramedic, you would need to stay calm while dealing with life and death situations, to be highly skilled, quick thinking and decisive at the same time as providing a reassuring environment for the patient and relatives. You must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, a serious interest in the care and well-being of patients, and the academic ability to cope with examinations. You would also need to be physically fit and emotionally resilient. Getting in can be difficult, with many regions reporting fierce competition for ambulance technician trainee positions. Most paramedics are trained and employed by the NHS, but there are some opportunities in private hospitals, the armed forces and industries such as oil and gas exploration.
Your career progression could include specialist work with a motorcycle, car or air ambulance unit, or promotion to ambulance officer, leading paramedic in Scotland, and on to more senior management posts. These can include operational management, control and training, or other management areas such as human resources, health and safety and finance. You might also move into a position in a control centre or training school.You would have to work on rotating shifts, including nights, weekends and public holidays. Most of your time would be spent on the road, working in all weathers to attend accidents and emergencies, providing pre-hospital emergency treatment and safe transport to hospital.
The work can be stressful, particularly when you are faced with shocking injuries at the scene of a serious incident. You may occasionally encounter aggressive people, particularly those under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and you may even have to wear a stab proof vest.

Answer 2

It all depends on which Ambulance Service you are going to join and contrary to popular belief they are neither run by councils or hospitals: pretty much every ambulance service in England certainly are now independant NHS trusts which is one of the reasons I left the service I was with!!!! (Too much time trying to earn money than care for patients and ridiculous response times that just cant be reached!!!) Anyway, the previous answer is correct whereby you do an intensive driving course on top of anotomy and physilogy with emergency aid thrown in for good measure. Upon successful completion of this course you will earn the right to call yourself an ambulance technician. Again, after that its down to the particular service you join but its normally between 18 months and 36 months that you can apply for a paramedic course where you will undergo further intensive training covering more life saving skills than a technician would have and more tests!!!

I wish you well in your choice and really hope you go for it: it is a very rewarding career. If you are still at school i would suggest doing human biology to get used to some of the terminology and if you are not already, join your local st johns ambulance.

All the best

Answer 3

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RE:
what qualifications do i need to be a paramedic in england?
i want to be a paramedic but i would like to know what things i need to be one i.e. subjects?

Answer 4

UK: My son has just gone through the format: 1. Selection as an ambulance driver/assistant for one of the usually Council run services. You must have a clean driving license. You will be taught (on-going) first aid and emergency treatment. After two years, if selected, you will commence your Paramedic course. This, in his case was residential which included all aspects of emergency treatment.

As for schooling, may I suggest that you must be good at mathematics as correct measurement of doses of emergency drugs is essential. Good English - written and oral must be good. Hygiene - with MRSA etc. rampant, this is a must. Apart from that, have a go if that is what you fancy.

Answer 5

go 2 your local hospital and ask the paramedics that are there they will tell you but make sure they are not taking someone into hospital or they might be unhappy :) wait till they come out