16 minute read
The paramedic experience – in their own words Providing critical care during the pandemic has been particularly challenging for our paramedics, not only dealing with an ever-changing situation but also ensuring they can provide the same level of care and compassion in the confi nes of {{). Two DAA paramedics describe the experience
The highs and lows
- delivering critical emergency care in challenging times
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Many people have been impacted by Coronavirus, and this has been a particularly challenging time for our paramedics – their work is often physically, mentally and emotionally demanding but, during the pandemic, they have had to get used to delivering this exceptional care and medical treatment in a fast-evolving and uncertain environment.
Two of our crew share their personal thoughts on what working through the pandemic has been like for them.
Je ica Thomas-Mourne Trainee Specialist Paramedic Critical Care
“ Despite Coronavirus lurking in the background for several months, I don’t think the severity of the pandemic truly struck until the point that both of our aircraft were grounded with immediate effect. Among the operational team there was significant uncertainty and anxiety as to how the comings days, weeks and months would proceed; we were concerned about the health and welfare of ourselves and our families, our friends and colleagues, and of course the patients that we treat.
Numerous changes were implemented that meant our way of working was very different: the specialist and advanced paramedics were permanently crewed in pairs to minimise cross-infection which meant major rota changes for us. We began responding primarily on our critical care cars and, once modifications had been made to the aircraft such as the screen segregating the cockpit and the clinical space, we began loading and unloading patients through the rear of the helicopter rather than the side door, which is more challenging and time-consuming. Personal protective equipment was mandated which added physical stress due to the extreme heat when wearing it and meant that communication was more challenging.
Some positives that have arisen during this time include us growing closer to our colleagues by working in smaller teams, recognition of the benefits of having our critical care cars available so that we can always reach the patients that need us as quickly as possible by road if needed, and the ability to attend our regular clinical governance sessions remotely – where we meet to discuss individual cases in more depth - so that both the ‘live’ operational teams based at our Exeter and Eaglescott airbases can dial in every month while on shift. ” L Hilton Advanced Paramedic Critical Care
“ It is hard to believe that any organisation, team, or indeed individual will emerge the other side of this pandemic having not been aff ected by it in some way. This is certainly true of the organisation I work for, my colleagues, and indeed me personally. y defi nition of working as part of a Critical Care team, professionals are adept at rigorous preparation, planning, simulation training and detailed refl ection. This ensures precision when dealing with often signifi cant, lifethreatening critical conditions. One of the most challenging aspects of working through the Coronavirus pandemic is the impact it has had on this. Since the virus hit our shores, we have been faced with the challenges of rapid adaptation, uncomfortable uncertainty and a lack of, or confl icting, evidence which impacts on our decision-making and our ability to plan ahead. Despite these challenges, the team have adapted well and adopted rostering changes and responding by car in place of the helicopter as alluded to by Jess. We have secured a supply of personal protective equipment and introduced changes to make our working environment as safe as possible. I feel that any time of crisis highlights an individual’s personal challenges, their own level of resilience and their need for robust emotional and psychological support. Without doubt, I am truly proud of the team within which I operate. My colleagues have been outstanding during this diþ cult time and Coronavirus has shown the true compassion, care and determination off ered by my professional colleagues. e have long regarded ourselves as a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service family. The strong connection we have developed within the team has allowed us to continue to deliver exceptional care to our patients despite the challenges. ”
One sma way to help k p our crew safe...
Now more than ever, joining our in-house Lottery is a really simple way to ensure Devon Air Ambulance keeps flying. Almost unbelievably, it’s nearly twenty years since we started our Lottery and now, with around 40,000 members playing each week, it generates around £2,000,000 each year – TWO MILLION POUNDS! - that’s about 25% of the funds needed for the service to keep operational and continue to help people, whether resident or visitor, across Devon.
Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, our aircrew have had to wear a range of different Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) items to keep them safe. Buying many of these items is a new and additional cost to the Charity – while each item individually is relatively inexpensive, they are also single use so, of course, we need lots of them! We thought you might like to see what some of our regular costs for PPE are:
• 2 pk Gloves (short/long) - £1.50 • Tyvex Cover All Suit - £14.95 each • FFP3 Respirator Mask - £1.36 each • Type 2 Surgical Mask - 55p each • Over shoe Coverings - 14p per pair • Goggles - £3.50 per pair • Face Shield - £12.95
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The real impact of Lockdown
Needing the emergency services at any time can be traumatic for all those involved. Needing the emergency services throughout the past few months of Coronavirus has had even greater consequences for our patients and their families.
One such patient is Neil from Torquay, attended and assisted by both a land ambulance crew and Devon Air Ambulance.
In May, Neil - helped by his wife - was fi nishing the building of a handicapped access ramp in their church when the circular saw he was using caught the sleeve of his sweatshirt and pulled his left arm into the saw, eff ectively amputating his arm above the wrist.
His wife Katherine, with a limited phone signal inside, dashed out of the church to call 999. Still talking to the call taker, Katherine then returned to her husband and helped him apply a tourniquet using the electric fl eƻ from another power tool – luckily, ceil had previous fi rst aid eƻperienceú In just 5 minutes the land ambulance crew arrived and administered the maximum amount of morphine permitted – which, in ceil’s words “just did not touch the sides of the pain”.
Within another few minutes, Within another few minutes, Devon Air Ambulance landed and Katherine was relieved to learn that the Air Ambulance team could administer an even greater level of pain relief.
With Ketamine safely given, Neil was then conveyed to the land ambulance to be transferred to Derriford Hospital, with DAA paramedic Liam Kilbride in attendance. Asking if he could have anything else to take away the pain, Neil learned that he already had the maximum allowed but, thankfully, he arrived at hospital just 10 minutes later.
The emergency surgery to save Neil’s arm took eight hours with three diff erent surgeons. Neil spent a further 10 days in hospital, and whilst no relatives could visit him, he was attended by ‘a fantastic team’ of medical staff – every time he felt a bit down there was
always someone there to raise his spirits – from the surgeons and nurses to the people taking his food order or cleaning the ward – everyone was 100% caring.
For Katherine, meanwhile, the full impact of Coronavirus
hit home. Having been traumatised herself by witnessing the accident, she was entirely limited to phone calls with the ward to fi nd out how ceil was doing. Katherine also had to re-live the trauma of the accident as she explained it each time to family and friends, none of whom could visit or off er the usual hug of support. Eventually, Neil was up to using the iPad for Skype calls, which off ered some reassurance to Katherine.
After Neil’s discharge from hospital, he began a series of out-patient appointments in Exeter for physiotherapy and specialist hand rehabilitation. Neil explained, “I will know more in about six months but I’m aware this is probably a two-year recovery. I always say that we have choices in life. We can wallow in selfpity and think how unfair life is that it happened to me, or we can be grateful for being alive and think about how we can use our new situation to benefi t ourselves and others – I choose the latter, especially as positive, happy, patients recover better and faster! I just can’t thank everyone enough; I have had over 50 people looking after me and they were, without exception, just brilliant. Coronavirus and the lockdown took on a whole new meaning for us when I had my accident. But I’ll always be thankful to the ambulance service, the NHS and to Devon Air Ambulance for saving my arm, and my life.” Having learned that the Air Ambulance service receives no Government funding, Neil has recently made a private donation which in his words “could never be enough to repay the service I received”.
