Working with Paramedics of the future? [10/07/09 16.37]

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) has presented Ambulance Awareness Certificates to a group of year 11 students from Corpus Christi College, in Belfast.

The 11 students who participated in the 7 week course received their certificates from Dr David McManus, the Trust Medical Director, who was impressed with the dedication and interest shown by these young men.

The idea of an ambulance awareness course came about following a visit to the school by NIAS to address the Year 11 and Year 12 assemblies on the work of the service. Miss Parker, Head of Year 11, raised the possibility of NIAS engaging with her year group on issues of first aid, alcohol and drug awareness and community spirit, particularly in relation to the elderly and vulnerable within society.

NIAS developed a programme which was delivered primarily by paramedics Jacqueline Scott and Tara Wallace. The group were introduced to the importance of immediate action in the event of a life threatening emergency taking place in their presence. Like many young people they initially believed that it was more important to start doing something for the casualty, forgetting that the most important thing to do is to phone 999 and ask for the ambulance.

Over the weeks that ensued, Jacqueline and Tara demonstrated the skills of CPR allowing the boys plenty of opportunities to practice on the Resusciannes. In fact one of the students actually scored 95% for chest compressions on his first attempt against the skill meter - a paramedic in the making.

In a fairly informal environment the boys were able to speak of their street experiences in relation to alcohol and drugs among their peer groups. Jacqueline and Tara used these opportunities to pass on vital information regarding their dangers when abused, based on their real experiences of having to treat both.

The boys were also given demonstrations and practice in regards to choking patients, bleeding and fracture immobilistaion. The course was delivered for the first six weeks in the classroom and on the seventh they were collected by ambulance cars and brought to Trust HQ at Knockbracken where they were given a tour of the Control and Training Centres before taking a short written examination.

The presentation ceremony took place two weeks later at their school assembly in front of classmates and parents. The school vice principal, Dan McGivern, spoke of how indebted the school was to NIAS and the two paramedics in particular, thanking them "for the time, interest shown and the honour of having being picked as the first school to undertake this particular course in collaboration with NIAS."

Michelle Parker, year head, also thanked the ambulance service, saying, "I am delighted at what has happened over the past seven weeks. These boys never get opportunities like this and I am so proud of the way in which they responded to the challenges set. I want to thank Jacqueline and Tara who were really responsible for the success of the scheme. It was their easy going way and manner in which they were able to connect with the boys which kept them coming back"

Jacqueline paid tribute to the boys themselves saying that "at all times we received the utmost respect from the boys and they were keen to learn all about the job. I just hope that one or two of them become keen enough to want to become paramedics that they settle down to study hard. Apart from that it is nice to know that should an emergency arise when they are about, they now have a better understanding of how to take control of the situation while the wait for the paramedics to arrive."

NIAS now intends to roll this programme out to involve other schools in all areas throughout Northern Ireland.