About Me
The overstimulated musings of a full-time Paramedic / full-time Uni student. Watch me juggle both whilst balanced wobbling upon the precarious support of copious quantities of my favourite amino acid!
Why is this blog here?
What do you do?
Lifelong learner, huh? So what's your academic plan?
All work and no play...
I have something amazing to tell you...!
..You didn't let me finish. I'm the Prime President of Nigeria, and it's my sworn duty to inform you that you've inherited ¥€808,080,991.17¢ from your thrice-removed great molar!
Coffee?
Why is this blog here?
What do you do?
- I have been an Advanced Care Paramedic with the Queensland Ambulance Service for 12 years, working both metro and remote regions.
- For the last eight years I have lived and worked in a remote SW Queensland outback town. My work here involves a 7-on, not-enough-off roster of day shifts with on-call responsibilities overnight every night - I basically work 24/7!
- I love living and working in the outback due to the amazing sense of community out here, and have had the honour and privilege of working alongside or helping many wonderful local characters.
- Rural and remote paramedic practice is just as unique for the incomparable challenges and opportunities facing Paramedics in remote regions. Our cases may take us 250kms+ out of town on rough dirt roads to remote properties; with extended patient contact time, and neither IC backup nor major hospitals nearby, patient and overall case management requires a very different approach to that taken on the coast. I feel extremely lucky to have this wildly varied working environment, as despite the lower overall case load it has provided opportunities for professional and clinical development unattainable on the coast.
- We work more closely with Flying Doctor, Qld Fire & Rescue, and Charleville Base Hospital medical & nursing staff in the outback, both for joint emergency services training and operationally in the field, and enjoy a great working relationship with these groups that is invaluable during challenging multi-cas or disaster emergencies.
- I've been involved with Road Accident Rescue competitions as the Paramedic member of a QFRS team over several years. In 2005 my team won Qld State titles, with both the Team Captain and I winning each of our categories, and thereafter going on to Australian and World Champs in New Zealand. Best. Experience. Ever! [Holden donated 200+ brand new cars to be crushed for our competitions.. Monaros, Commodores, Maloo utes, all wrecked. I've never seen so many grown men cry!]
- Frequent Acting OIC duties and membership of the Local Disaster Management Committee - combined with the all-too-frequent flooding disasters in this town - have provided me with an unfortunately large amount of experience and familiarity with major disaster mitigation and response. The experience is extremely valuable, though I could certainly do without the concomitant experience of 1.5m of muddy torrents raging through our property..
- I have organised and conducted much of the training for my own station and the smaller ones dependent upon it since moving out west; through this training and mentoring as well as undertaking relieving Clinical Support Officer duties I have identified a love for clinical training and teaching, and hope to progress further in this field in both vocational and tertiary education. I see my future in being involved in tertiary paramedic education and research, and am committed to continual professional and self development.
Lifelong learner, huh? So what's your academic plan?
- Bachelor of Paramedical Science conversion degree full-time through Victoria University, due for completion in June 2012. I also have a background of biomedical science undergraduate studies at CQUniversity.
- Cert IV in Training & Assessment, a vocational education and training qualification most relevant to clinical support and in-service training, as well as providing general and practical teaching knowledge and skills.
- Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education through CQUni, a collaborative course administered jointly by several Australian Universities to improve teaching skills and knowledge, and promote enhanced teaching practice in university lecturers. I created this blog for the course EDED20484: Tertiary Teaching and Learning.
- In August 2012 I will commence a Masters program, most likely the Master of Paramedical Science at ECU, though I also have my eye on the Master of Health Professional Education through CQUni which seems perfect for me. Down the track perhaps I'd love to attain RN qualification to broaden my clinical skills and professional capabilities. [So much to learn, so little time!]
- I am currently developing a research proposal that I aim to begin work on later this year. I strongly believe that the future development and expansion of the profession of paramedicine demands more academic research, not only in clinical and operational matters, but also in formal education and ongoing vocational training - perhaps especially, in light of the recent exponential growth of tertiary paramedic education.
All work and no play...
- My sporting passion is distance running, and I am now a marathoner, but used to be a national level swimmer and surf-ironwoman. I'd get into triathlons but know only too well the kinds of fates that so often befall cyclists on our roads. Besides, I'm clumsy; ask me why I don't ride dirtbikes anymore.. [yes, it was compound!]
- When not working or studying I hang out, travel, live with my fiancé and our beloved Staffy Harvey.
- I have a passion for science, especially medicine and natural history, and am guilty of reading textbooks for fun. I'm not really one for tv shows and movies, though will grieve the loss of Spicks & Specks for years to come. Stephen Fry is my hero. I listen to medical podcasts and audiobooks on long car trips. [Sudden epiphany: Were all that a crossword clue, the answer would be a four-letter word starting with "G" and ending with "eek".]
- I also love modern art, sewing, and photography, and spend way too much on fashion, though don't have as much time as I'd like for these pursuits with studying. [Except for shopping; there's always time for shopping!]
- Perhaps understandably, I consume an inordinate amount of coffee..!
I have something amazing to tell you...!
- Sweet! Send it to caffeine [dot] fairy [at] hypocaffeinic [dot] com. Or drop me a line here!
..You didn't let me finish. I'm the Prime President of Nigeria, and it's my sworn duty to inform you that you've inherited ¥€808,080,991.17¢ from your thrice-removed great molar!
- Score! Send it to utter [dot] bollox [at] hypocaffeinic [dot] com
Coffee?
- Thought you'd never ask. Strong, white, and none, please!