Pain, distress and anguish are regularly experienced by paramedic officers when attending jobs.
New Richmond paramedic Emily Mallard understands this and is learning to maintain a calm and professional demeanour.
The 21-year-old has been on the job for just under two months and said she had to ‘‘tuck away’’ her emotions under her uniform as soon as she put it on.
‘‘In general, I am a very emotional person, but as soon as I get to work I automatically switch off,’’ Ms Mallard said.
‘‘There’s a lot of raw emotion, anxiety and fear in any situation we attend so I try to stay empathetic and professional when dealing with them.
‘‘You just have to learn how to manage that, and it all comes with time.’’
Ms Mallard said she was grateful to be in an environment where she was constantly supported by her peers.
‘‘There are many situations where I have had to stay neutral even though I have been very upset for the patients and their families.’’
New probationary paramedics are teamed up with an experienced mentor to guide them through their first few months on the job.
Mentors are beneficial in forming effective relationships with the new officers and supporting them at all times.
‘‘They have developed a calm mantra through their experience and have taught me that staying calm is like a ripple effect. The calmer you are, the calmer the patient will be.
‘‘Most of them can be confused, distressed, drunk or psychotic, so staying calm is crucial.’’
The Penrith resident said she knew she wanted to be a paramedic since the age of 16, following in the footsteps of her mother who is a nurse and midwife.
‘‘After work, my mum and I just sit and talk about our day and we understand each other. It’s so emotionally beneficial and helps me build my confidence.’’
Ms Mallard said the most difficult situations she’d dealt with so far included heart attacks and excessive bleeding. ‘‘I haven’t been in a situation where death is involved but I’m sure that with the support I have, I’ll be fine.’’