Oz/NZ Paramedic Forums

[Fox800]

Are there any forums that are specific to EMS in Australia and/or New Zealand? I'd like to read up as much as I can. I'm considering applying for employment in the near future (after I visit) and would like to find out as much as possible.

[Chief1C]

I know of one where the only replies are by people from Australia. But I can't tell you which one that is.

[Kiwiology]

Can we be of assistance some how, a few Kiwi's around here

[aussiephil]

Ask your questions & you will get a reply.

[Fox800]

I'm considering applying for employment in NZ or Australia and would like any advice or feedback you guys can offer. I've been a full-time paramedic in Texas for about one year and nine months.

On the Oz side, I'm specifically interested in the Queensland Ambulance Service, due to their active recruiting of international applicants and the overall positive feedback I've received regarding the service and life in Queensland in a whole. I am interested in other services as well if you have any to recommend to international applicants.

As far as New Zealand goes, if you guys have any experience or anecdotes about international applicants with St. John's or WFA, I would appreciate it.

I'm young (early twenties), single, and I have no kids. I'd like to experience life in another part of the world and I think that both countries would be incredible places to live and work.

Thanks

[Kiwiology]

We are somewhat different here; authority to practice and clinical governance are in-service run, not by the Government.

St John members do not legally have the independent ability to supply or administer prescription medicines to patients, or to use certain pieces of clinical equipment. This legal ability can only be granted by a St John Medical Advisor and as such ATP is a transfer of this legal ability to a member by, and under the oversight of, a St John Medical Advisor. In practice this ability is granted by a partnership between a St John Medical Advisor and St John Management.

Employment does not guarantee that ATP will be granted at a particular practice level and conversely, granting ATP at a particular practice level does not constitute employment at, or assignment to, a particular position or roster. A member granted ATP at a particular practice level may not be remunerated at that level until they have been appointed to a vacancy.

With less than two years experience you won't be employed as an Advanced Paramedic (ALS), you might be employed as Paramedic (GTN, glucagon, aspirin, LMA/NPA/OPA, IV NS/D10 and manual defib) but this is unlikely; you will be employed as an Ambulance Officer (BLS) which means the skills listed above minus IV acess, fluids and manual defib. From there you can move up to Paramedic then Upskilled Paramedic (Paramedic plus IM adrenaline, IV naloxone, metaclopramide and fentanyl) then onto Advanced Paramedic. This can take well ..... any length of time really, years is not uncommon here.

Apart from that we do offer some good benefits; we are totally autonomus (don't have any "online" medical control to speak of) and you could be working metropolitian or rural or anywhere in between really so a good variety of places.

Wellington Free is a much smaller system and thier medical protocols are somewhat more advanced (they have thrombolysis as standing order and some drugs like adenosne and corticosteriods that St John does not carry; thier Intermediate scope of practice is also a bit better) so you could try looking there.

Email either work@wfa.org.nz or mark.deoki@stjohn.org.nz and give them your details (e.g. what courses you have done, clinical hours required, scope of practice, continuing education and skill revalidation requirements etc) and see what they say.

Best of luck mate

[mitchb]

For Wellington Free Ambulance (WFA) you will be assessed to see at what level you would fit in. If a Paramedic then you may come in as an Intensive Care Paramedic (ICP) but with some on road training to gain familiarity with WFA drugs and ways of doing.

See Wellington Free Ambulance

For interest clinical guidelines are here Clinical Practice Guidelines

A new revision is coming in the next month or so, adding IV Salbutamol (Asthma), Magnesium (Asthma), Ketamine (pain) and Ceftriaxone (Meningococcal Septicaemia).

Also, an increasingly high number of staff at WFA have, or are working towards, a Bachelor of Health Science (Paramedic) Degree Info and as of this year a Post-graduate certificate is required to be an ICP.

Edited August 10, 2009 by mitchb

[Kiwiology]

For Wellington Free Ambulance (WFA) you will be assessed to see at what level you would fit in. If a Paramedic then you may come in as an Intensive Care Paramedic (ICP) but with some on road training to gain familiarity with WFA drugs and ways of doing.

See Wellington Free Ambulance

For interest clinical guidelines are here Clinical Practice Guidelines

A new revision is coming in the next month or so, adding IV Salbutamol (Asthma), Magnesium (Asthma), Ketamine (pain) and Ceftriaxone (Meningococcal Septicaemia).

Also, an increasingly high number of staff at WFA have, or are working towards, a Bachelor of Health Science (Paramedic) Degree Info and as of this year a Post-graduate certificate is required to be an ICP.

You'll like ketamine, I've seen good results with it.

[aussiephil]

QAS, are a good service, although their pay structure I believe is not as good as other states, volume of work, New South Wales is the second largest single paid service in the world behind London.

There is no gaurentee that your qualifications would be recognised immediatly as there si a lot of disparity between the systems. You can apply for recognition of prior learning, each case is assessed individually.

This is different to those recruited from the UK as their system is very close to ours in skills & therapies.

[Fox800]

I'm writing up a summary of my education/work experience/scope of practice. Do you guys know of places that are *actively* recruiting international applicants and have had good experiences recruiting those types?