May 21-27, marks EMS Week 2023 in the States and Paramedic Services Week in Canada. In Canada, the theme for the week is Diversity In Paramedicine – The Patient. The Provider. The Profession.

We spoke to Nipissing District EMS to understand what it’s like to be a paramedic in 2023.

Describe what it’s like to be a paramedic in 2023

Paramedic work is challenging and demanding, both in a physical as well as a mental capacity. We wear many different alternating hats.  

The job requires us to be educated, but it also requires us to be calm, patient, and investigative.  Paramedics are responsible to communicate with all patients, bystanders and family members of all ages, cultures, and personalities. It is beneficial that we develop relationships with all allied resources, volunteers, and hospital staff. 

With the substantial rise of mental health and addictions it is imperative that we now, more than ever, continually work on our interpersonal skills in order to be able to develop rapport with our patients based on their individual needs in order to gain their trust.

We thrive on being in high stress situations so few others could even fathom. We have the ability to within minutes, cope through the most dynamic life threatening, dangerous situations, yet in the next moment, having a calm conversation with a patient on route to hospital to be seen, again, for their chronic condition. 

My favourite part of being a paramedic is the feeling of accomplishment I get after a very dynamic call. Knowing I made a difference whether it was in a medical treatment capacity and/or in an emotional capacity.

What advice would you give to others considering a career as a paramedic?

The advice I would give to myself or others starting this career would be that the most important component of this job is communication. Often times there are many personalities on each scene, not only the patient.  Knowing what to say, and how to be appropriate in even the most volatile situations is imperative.  An ambulance call can go “south” very quickly, resulting in escalated tempers and even safety concerns.

Our organization is lucky in that we have a Peer Support Coordinator, Tanya, who’s passion for our medics’ mental health is a priority. In addition to her already very busy role as a Community Paramedic, she somehow finds the time to head the Peer Support Team and the education for the members. She also implemented our Peer Support App, PeerConnect, which allows each medic to reach out for support, mental health information, and also follow up. Each trained Peer Support member is supported by her, as well as every employee within our district. I am honoured to be on this team.

As with any successfully run program, it is imperative that we continue to push Mental Health Awareness from all levels of positions within our District. Although I feel we have made much we still have a long way to go. The very nature of mental health is continually evolving.  We must take care of our paramedics’ mental health in order for them to stay healthy, especially because so much of our call volume is now mental health and/or addictions related. We cannot be expected to continue to serve our community in a manner in which it deserves if we are not well ourselves.