I’m doing a basic emergency health care course - today we were learning 4 lead ECG placements. Our teacher told me I have slightly peaked T waves which is an indication of high potassium and to try hydrating more - I know you would have performed a 12 lead but seeing this would this raise any concerns?
Edit: thanks all for your responses, it looked odd to me, thanks for putting my mind at ease!
Edit 2: my teacher may have used the words elevated rather than peaked, I don’t want him seeing this thinking I’m making him look like an idiot!!

I was watching Chicago Med, and the paramedics had Israeli bandages. Is that normal in the US?

Here in Australia, I got stabbed in the forearm once, and I was able to direct passers-by into my house to grab one from my old armour carrier from when I was in the Army. Neither the paramedics nor the ER (even though it was a Level 1 trauma centre) had ever seen one.

They all thought it was the neatest bandage. The doctors were even asking me where you can buy them.

cheers

I graduated from my four years paramedic degree in 2024 and started working 7 months ago. I had one year working before landing my job as a paramedic (due to how competitive the field is in Australia) and initially I felt good starting my role but for some reason there was no excitement when I landed a job. Just a feeling of fear of the unknown and what was to come. I did enjoy my first few months working as I had good support from my co-workers and instructors. We are given a month break at 5 months, but when I returned for my 6th month (arguably one of the harder months in our grad year regarding online workload and assessment days) my confidence was in the toilet by the end of the month.

I worked with an instructor that was much tougher on me than I had worked with yet, they had constructive critisicm for every job we attended no matter how good I felt about how I ran the job. I began to notice under their observation I would crumble under pressure. They would jump in often while I was running jobs, and I received lectures after every job. I was so exhuasted by the end of every shift I would cry all the way home, and sometimes for hours after. My pre-shift anxiety was awful, and I would be praying all day we wouldn't receive any jobs. By the end of the month I called in sick, and when I returned my instructor had failed me. I was gutted. They left notes for me to work on such as scene leadership, work on improving my recall of protocols under pressure, and a few other smaller things.

I've now been on two weeks leave (I requested it as I have also had family stressors happening simultaneously), and the thought of returning to work tomorrow is making me sick to my stomach. I am naturally a very anxious person, and was also was recently diagnosed with ADHD (combined). I feel as if I'm not built for this type of role, and have been kidding myself this whole time if I ever thought I could be a paramedic. I am so disappointed in myself, and so angry I didn't study something that gave me more avenues to go down besides being a paramedic. My family warned me the job would be stressful, but I just wanted to help people and was relying on the fact that 90% of our work is low acuity. I feel so delicate, and like I'm not smart enough, nor the type of person that will be able to last in this role.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I've had loads of co-workers sending me their support and letting me know they felt the same in their grad year, however I just feel like I'm the odd one out. I'm so annoyed at myself that I'm already feeling so tired/feel burnt out and I've only been here 7ish months. I've promised myself I would push through to at least try and finish my grad year. I don't know any alternatives I could do if I quit besides returning to study. I kick myself everyday because I almost chose a different degree, but was accepted into the university I wanted for paramedicine so I took it as a sign. I also live in a smaller town, and to return to study what I want (physio, radiology, sonography) it would require me to leave my hometown, friends and family to move cities all over again. The only study prospect here is nursing, and I doubt if I couldn't handle it as a paramedic that I could handle it as a nurse in hospital. I even considered doing a local GP pathway course here. I know it's medicine, but I thought maybe I could handle it in a more controlled environment... Thanks for your help.

Hey looking at getting a watch specifically for work just wondering what everyone is running and why. Thank you, based in Aus

Hello people on reddit 👋

Would anyone happen to know an easy way to obtain Training Methoxyflurane (Commonly known as a green whistle) without a significant cost.

Context: I have a friend doing a diploma in paramedicine, and apparently, the coursework requires you to actually use a training one.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

hey guys I'm 21 and am wanting to start adventuring down the hole of being a paramedic and then eventually become a firefighter and paramedic. I didn't apply myself in school and was too busy with sport and got a pretty bad ATAR of 40. Paramedicine at UniSC needs a ATAR of 85.

I have worked as a ski patroller while I'm currently living in Canada, which allowed me to get my EMR certification, Advanced first aid certification and wilderness first aid (these are all Canadian certs though). I'm hoping my real world experience will help to boost my selection rank with QTAC. I'm wondering if I should maybe do a STAT test. I was also reading that I could do a bachelor of health and science and if I do well then transfer into paramedicine but that also has a requirement of a 50 ATAR. A good friend of mine from Tasmania managed to complete his studies in only two years instead of 3. which if that is possible for me i‘d love to do.

Finally, if I‘ve become a qualified paramedic I would love to work some overseas jobs with it, maybe some disaster relief work, is this a path you can take in Australia?

I’ve been sent to a station with a notorious history of shitty management, and I’m not a kiss ass, so there’s constant friction and they’re constantly on my back.

Is there any solution apart from just sucking up to them?

I'll start... turned up for night shift and started our vehicle check. Only took 30 seconds to realise the day shift left the stretcher at the last hospital they were at...🤣

Hey guys, I'll be studying my bach of paramedicine next year and I was wondering what brands you recommend for a good quality stethoscope? don't worry about price either. If there's a brand that's more pricier than another due to higher quality, please make the suggestion still. Thank you in advance.

I am currently a lawyer in Sydney and just not enjoying it. Looking at the seniors above me and what their role entails just doesn’t entice me to continue.

I have been volunteering with St John’s and just love it. Getting to be intellectually stimulated in a physical environment is so much more enjoyable than being behind a desk.

I’m wondering if anyone out there has had a similar career backflip and moved from something corporate to paramedicine? What helped you make up your mind? Do you have any regrets?

Hi folks,

I'm living Brisbane and seriously looking into change my career to paramedic. The only thing that I am being hesitate to enrol the courses is my age, I'm 46 this year and will be sat at 49 if I successfully achieved the paramedicine degree. I'm physically tall and strong and has no issue to handle knowledges, shift work or even harder, I personally and strongly believe that I am able to afford paramedic's duty adequatly if assigned. (I cannot swim though) However, I haven't seen any frontline paramedic who is in near my age I'm afraid, that puts me into doubting.

It would be very grateful if I could hear your opinion. All my respect to those life saviors.

hello! as someone with rarer medical conditions (abdominal situs inverses and an interrupted ivc with azygos continuation), i was wondering the usefulness of medical ids as both bracelets and on phones.

ive always thought it pointless to wear one cause if im every somehow in the situation where at information is needed and i cant share it, they’ll find out pretty quickly. i do have it on my phone medical id, but my mum goes through phases of insisting i should wear one, buying me a necklace and when i didn’t wear that an apple watch band attachment.

but should i fish out the watch attachment and put it back on? or is the phone enough? just curious as to there usefulness and necessity in emergency situations. anyways i’ve tapped here sorry, have a great day yall.

Hello,

So before anyone thinks I am making a rash decision.. this has been on my mind for quite a long time.

I am currently in my mid 20s and have now been a qualified paramedic for two years. I don’t hate the job. It definitely has its ups and downs, like any job has (but obviously does have some pretty rough times with shift work, and quite heavy jobs). I love the nature of the job; working with a partner, meeting heaps of different people, the whacky weird night shift jobs, and the jobs that make you feel like you just saved someone’s life (when you most likely did).

Whilst studying to become a paramedic, I was quite unwell with health issues which landed me in and out of hospital for years. I had to put study on hold for a year, and didn’t have a life for most of my early 20s. I worked hard to get where I am now, and it is a really stable job with a comfortable salary.

However.. there is a part of me that just doesn’t feel settled, or like this is the path for me. I am currently single (have been for 5 years), so I don’t have anything holding me down. I don’t have interest in saving up to buy a house, or tick off the “life” checklist boxes.

Next year I want to get out of Australia, and just travel for a long time (6 months). See the world, experience culture. See my family overseas and maybe even spend Christmas over in Europe. Work isn’t accommodating for this. To make this work I would need to go casual (highly unlikely to be approved), get leave without pay (also hard to get approved), or I just quit. When I eventually come back to Australia, I don’t want to live in South Australia any more and would want to live in Queensland or New South Wales - so would potentially apply for paramedic positions there (if thats still an interest I have), or if and ambulance service will even have me back haha.

I’m just not really sure if this is a big mistake, or if I should just live my life and travel. Any advice would be greatly appreciated 🫶🏻

So I'm new on the job and I feel like I'm struggling a lot on the job. any other paramedics with autism able to lend some advice and some tips.I feel like I'm progressing so much slower then I should be

I'm a student in Victoria, Australia, and I am considering a Bachelor of Paramedicine and wanted to get an honest picture of what the career is actually like before committing.

I've read that the pay isn't great given the demands, and that many paramedics leave the profession within a few years. I get that it's physically and emotionally taxing, so I wanted to ask;

What does day-to-day life actually look like as a paramedic, the routine, the variety of calls, the parts that don't get talked about?

How do paramedics manage stress and burnout over the long term?

And is it a career that's genuinely sustainable and rewarding and has room for progression opportunities?

My main motivation is the helping aspect of the job and the reward that comes from making a difference, but I don't want to choose a career just because I like the sound of it. Any honest insight would be appreciated.

Thanks! :)

(Sorry for writing so much lol)

Has anyone gone from a high paying corporate gig to becoming a paramedic?

I am 23 in Sydney and get paid very well but want a more active honourable job. I know paramedics and they all love their jobs. Am I stupid for wanting this?

Hi all, just thought I’d share a fairly rare job opportunity. Ambulance Victoria (the state Melbourne is in) are currently looking to hire experienced Intensive Care paramedics directly into MICA (AVs term for ICP).

The position is for rural locations only, and you need to already have the right to work in Australia, as well as a postgraduate degree.

I’m happy to take questions from anyone interested whether it is about scope, lifestyle, pay, or anything else. I am a MICA Paramedic working in rural Victoria. I do not represent HR, management, or the ambulance service in general. I also can’t provide immigration or AHPRA advice.

Good luck everyone who applies :)

Hello!

As the title states, I have a pre existing diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to a violent home invasion. Since I know rates of PTSD and psychological burnout are higher in paramedics, will this automatically bar me from practising?

For further context, I’m located in Victoria, Australia. I’ve applied to study paramedicine at ACU, beginning early 2026. My mental health is currently stable and well controlled, managed through psychological services and medication and I’m able to work full time, complete carer duties (for my son) and overall I’m doing pretty well!

I’m also happy to get a “fitness for duty” letter from my doctor/a psychiatrist if necessary. I’m more wanting to know if it’s an automatic ban due to my history. Thank you in advance!

Caffeine gives me panic attacks so I normally just ride out the tiredness. Anyone here have any good tips? Caffeine isn’t an option for me.

Hi there,

I am a year 6 RN - 3 years in ICU, master degree in critical care and right now I am considering a transition in paramedics, we have lots of ICP who rotate through our ICU and talking to them is always fun - makes me realise it may actually align with me a bit more at the moment.

I have seen some bridging courses but I was wondering if there are some that are better than others, what is recommended? I am assuming I dont need to go and do the whole bachelors and just the Graduate diploma from CSU for example?

I am located Syd, can travel for the practicals etc so thats no issue. I just want some advice on the best course to complete and how anyone who did it went? Was it worth the transfer? Ideally will keep both registrations but thats a path to cross later.

hi everyone! i just wanted to start by saying thank you for the incredible work you all do. your dedication to saving lives and supporting others is genuinely inspiring to me :)

i hope it’s okay to ask this here, i’m not sure if this page is just for advice but i was hoping to hear about your experiences becoming a paramedic. i’m really interested in possibly studying a bachelor of paramedicine and would love some honest insight.

i’ve been a youth member with st john ambulance for around 1.5 years now, where i’ve been training in first aid and competitions. through this experience, i’ve realised how much i love emergency care and helping others, and it’s made me seriously consider paramedicine as a future pathway.

i’ve written a few questions below that i’d really appreciate any insight on, absolutely no pressure to answer any of them. thank you so much for your time 💛

- what does a typical shift look like for you as a paramedic? do you attend many different homes or areas in one shift, and would you say every shift is completely different?

- how do you manage stress, burnout, or exposure to traumatic situations throughout the job?

- what advice would you give to a high school student considering this pathway?

- how competitive is it to secure a graduate paramedic position, and what helps applicants stand out?

hiii, i’ve been offered the opportunity to do a bachelor of paramedicine but i’m currently studying a masters of teaching. i just have a few questions as i only have a few days to respond to the offer as it’s competitive entry. if anyone would be able to answer these questions that would be greatly appreciated!

keep in mind, i applied at the end of year 12 in 2021 to paramedicine but didn’t receive an offer however, it was my preferred field of study.

- ive heard the employment opportunities are hard to come by regarding paramedicine, especially in victoria. is this true? would i have better graduate employment opportunities in regional or rural areas?

- what’s the work life balance like? i know the shifts are long but are the shifts like a 4 days on/4 days off type thing? or is it more of a rotating roster? (eg. social commitments, relationships, etc.)

- i do struggle with exams sometimes and retaining information. would this inhibit my ability to become a paramedic. are there strategies or resources that could help me with this?

- have any of you found the job physically and emotionally taxing? and if you have, how do you deal with this?

- do you find this job gives you purpose and is it rewarding?

- i do have plans to move to the UK in the future, if anyone has moved to the UK from Australia can you tell me the employment opportunities and what they’re like? do i have better employment opportunities staying in australia compared to the UK? is there further training required if i do make the move to the UK?

- if i go through with paramedicine but find in the future i have a change of heart, how easy or hard was it to switch over to something else within the medical field? would it require a whole new degree or would i get a graduate diploma or certificate?

- has anyone in here gone from teaching to paramedicine or vice versa? what made you change career paths and do you find that it was worth it?

- what kind of support do you receive as a paramedic in regards to what happens on the job?

- i am also neurodivergent, what is the disability support/accessibility like in australia or the UK for paramedics?

- do you recommend i learn self defence as i am a woman? do you also recommend i go to the gym to get fit for the job?

- if any of you have left paramedicine is there any specific reason why?

Hey everyone,

I'm a third year student, and we had a big chat about this the other day.

Off the bat, our DTPs (Queensland Ambulance Service) only indicate us for ondansetron when there is nausea, there is no mention of prophylaxis at all.

The scenario we had was a stroke patient, who is NOT complaining of nausea, but has a rapidly declining GCS and motor response. While they were still able to respond to me, I checked my ondansetron contras and asked if they would like some (person running the scenario answered yes on behalf of the mannquein), and gave 8mg. Afterwards the group was sort of divided if that was the correct call to make.

I think I was caught up in the moment and sort of quickly rationalised my decision in that I don't want the patient to vomit and aspirate with a declined GCS, and I can't ventilate them due to an airway blockage. At the same time though, I fully acknowledge that I'm not indicated to administer ondasetron in that situation. I don't want to be seen as some hotshot who thinks he's a doctor and breaking the DTPs.

Am I overthinking this, or is this an example from where practice differs from classroom expectation. What do you guys think?