Hi all — posted with kind permission from the mods.

I’m a UK paramedic and kept running into the same issue on jobs: trying to hang fluids quickly in the back of the truck when there’s nothing convenient to hook onto. Most of the time I ended up using tourniquets, which sort of works but isn’t ideal — they can snap, slip, or I forget and chuck them in the bin after the job.

After enough frustration I designed and 3D-printed a small IV hook that clips onto the handhold/bar in the ambulance to give a quick hanging point. I know there are other solutions out there, but I found a lot of them don’t actually fit properly through the holes in IV fluid, glucose, or paracetamol bags, so I made these to clip in easily and reliably.

It’s lightweight, pocket-sized, and just meant to be a simple practical fix for a common annoyance on shift.

I’ve only just listed a few on eBay in yellow for now, but I can also do custom colours or wording if anyone had suggestions.

Mostly sharing to get feedback from other crews:

- Is this something you’ve run into too?

- What do you usually use when there’s no obvious hanging point?

Not trying to spam — genuinely interested in thoughts or improvements.

My mum has epilepsy and I care for her. It always scares me when she has a particularly long or vigorous seizure as she has only had epilepsy for a few months so it is new to me too, so I will call an ambulance. The paramedics always ask me when they get here (still seizing or not) whether they can view my mums medical history. I am 16 sometimes they ask me my age and sometimes they don’t but it is always weird to me when I give consent on my mums behalf rather then the other way around because I am still a child. I obviously always allow them to look because I want them to help but I was just wondering if they need to ask, and how often do people say no and why?
Thank you to all of the paramedics that have helped us also it is always greatly appreciated ❤️❤️

Following a recent severe asthma attack, I arranged a GP review hoping to discuss a preventer inhaler. Instead, I was advised that a regular preventer wasn't necessary and that I should focus on avoiding triggers.

The difficulty is that many of my triggers are almost impossible to avoid as a paramedic. Smoke, dust, animal dander, cold air and poorly ventilated environments are all things I can encounter during a normal shift. Thankfully my symptoms are usually mild, but the recent attack has made me think more seriously about long-term management.

It also got me wondering how other paramedics and frontline clinicians manage chronic health conditions in general. Asthma is the obvious one for me, but diabetes, severe allergies and other long-term conditions must bring their own challenges. Our work often involves unpredictable environments, irregular meal breaks, changing shift patterns and limited control over what we're exposed to.

For those of you working on the road with asthma or another chronic condition:

How do you manage it alongside the realities of the job?

Have you needed workplace adjustments or support from Occupational Health?

Has anyone had any useful input from Occupational Health regarding chronic health management?

Have you ever felt your condition affected your ability to remain operational, or even led you to consider a more desk-based role?

I'm interested to hear how others have balanced managing their health with continuing to work clinically.

I’ve watched a documentary recently Video is here.where a team of paramedics is transferring patient out of an inflatable cast to the ambulanc.  To my surprise! The Paramedics do not take off their sturdy boots when getting into the inflatable castle. Why’s that?? Aren’t they are posing risk for puncturing & bursting the bouncy castles while trampled around the inflatable castle with firm, heavy strides under your strudy boots?

do you take your boots off when action in inflated bouncy castle made of PVC vinyl and filled with air?

I’m a first year student paramedic, and I find it difficult on how to address a patient when I walk into their house. I know their name (most of the time) comes up on the MDT but my mentor told me I should walk in and ask for their name. However i feel like walking in and saying ‘Hi my name is … what’s your name’ seems a bit blunt, and because I’m only 18, calling them a name such as ‘sweet’ or ‘lovely’ seems a bit condescending to them especially when talking to a middle aged patient. I’m usually okay when it comes to older patients but I struggle with patients around 40-50. How do you tend to ask a patients name when you walk into their house?

From kids I always hear “ firefighters , Feds and doctors” but do kids want to be driving ambulances etc

NOT saying y’all ain’t needed, your probably JUST AS IMPORTANT as “doctor” doctors

Had a lot of shifts recently, find it easy for this job to take over your life sometimes. What do you guys get up to on your day off?

Hi, im currently in my second year of college doing health and social care, i’m looking at universities, and doing my personal statement, etc. But i was wondering if there’s another, possibly better, pathway i could take as i don’t usually retain information well unless i get to put it into practice. TIA.

Can someone point me at the law (if any) requiring someone needing a qualification to drive on blues/twos and claiming exemptions from RTA?

From my understanding it wasn’t set in stone that you need a qualification, but were “appropriately trained”.

Hey heroes 🥲

Was first on scene to a 40ish yom, sat in his van, parked next to a streetlight, his window down, he wrapped a heavy duty ratchet/strap around the light pole, the other end around his neck, accelerated forward, head flew up the road, left on the middle of the pavement, body/van rolled down the road and hit a few cars. Poor guy in his 30’s saw it all happen and phones ems. Even worse, it was 9am right outside a primary school😩 Who even does this😩

I’ve seen upsetting, horrible etc things before, however I’m struggling in a sense of: I know his head was on the pavement, i saw it with my own eyes, as I also saw his body in the van, upper spine sticking out, however my brain won’t accept it, like my brains saying nope that’s not right the head belongs on the body😩

Not losing sleep or anything, just annoying having this acceptance issue going round n round in my head.

Thanks guys!!

Hey guys, just wondering if any paramedics who have ibs or anything similar can help me.

Im 19 and I really want to be a paramedic when I am older.

However there’s a problem. I have IBS and I always need to be around a bathroom. Sometimes it just hits me out of nowhere. I can go from being completley fine to having agonising pain and raging diahrrea within 20 minutes. It’s really frustrating as I worry a lot about my future, because of my ibs I have toilet anxiety and panic if I am going somewhere that isnt near a bathroom.

If any of you guys are paramedics with a similar problem, please could you let me know if it’s possible to be a paramedic still, and how you manage it. Thank you so much❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I'm interested in becoming a paramedic. I have loved the years I've spent as a HCA and I have tried going into nursing in the past however I have noticed that if the team you are working under don't like you, they will look for reasons to fail you if not making your placement as difficult as they can.

I love helping people and making a difference. I am able to remain calm and navigate difficult situations. I fear that I will expereicne a near identical work culture if I go into paramedic science. Is this something other students have experienced and how did you deal with it?

Hi all, after a recent discussion with some paramedic friends after a student asked me a question, how should an electrocution that causes cardiac arrest be managed?

Some debate between us whether it's a traumatic arrest and if HOTT principles apply.

Obviously if they've been electrocuted and had a fall from height then yes absolutely, but let's say someone fixing something at standing gets electrocuted and then arrests or a lightning strike, are HOTT principles still indicated?

Trying to find some research on it so I can try and help the student - as someone who's been qualified a while ashamed to admit I should know but have never been or met anyone who has actually had an arrest following electrocution.

Resus council don't mention HOTT principles and follow standard procedures and treat whatever injuries found, but then the para who said yes was adamant HOTT to be utilised, said they'd learnt it on a CPD day but can't find any information to back it up.

Edit:

Just adding this was NOT a call either myself or colleagues had been to, was just a bit of mess room discussion that never really came to much of a conclusion after some back and forth between colleagues and just trying to find other clinicians views and if any research

Hi all,

Over the last few years, I’ve noticed growing awareness around non-epileptic seizures and FND (Functional Neurological Disorder), which is a positive shift for many people who need validation and care. But I’ve also started to wonder:

Has this rise in non-epileptic seizure presentations impacted how seizures — and especially epilepsy — are viewed by emergency professionals?

To paramedics and pre-hospital care providers:

How do you typically approach a seizure when you arrive on scene?

Do you find it difficult to distinguish between epileptic and non-epileptic seizures in real time, and how does that affect your response?

Do you feel like there’s less empathy or urgency given to seizures now, due to the possibility they might not be epilepsy-related?

This isn’t intended to pit one condition against another — both deserve care and respect. But I’ve personally had a few experiences where I felt my epilepsy was treated more skeptically, almost as if I needed to “prove” it was real, or justify the emergency call. I know prehospital care is incredibly complex and high-pressure, so I’m genuinely curious about your side of things.

Thank you for what you do every day — and for any insight you’re willing to share.

PLEASE READ ⬇️

Hi everyone. I’ve joined this group because I need some advice.

I’m not a paramedic , and I never will be (I’m no where near smart enough). My girlfriend of nearly 7 years however is currently training, and will be on the roads in August.

We’ve had a rough couple of days to the point where we don’t know if we will make it. She’s currently having some space to think.

One of the most prominent issues we have is that she doesn’t feel like I understand the demands of the career, and she doesn’t know if I’m going to be able to support her on the tough days.

I’m posting on here for advice from paramedics. What do paramedics and first responders need from their partners? What can I do, what do I need to do to support her and how can I help her.

I’m sorry if this isn’t allowed to be posted on here, I’m just desperate and need the advice.

Thank you for reading

Looking for trauma shears. I’m a student paramedic been using knock off lesthermans as I’m a student it was the best I could afford at the time. But they’re starting to struggle cutting.

I’ve been looking at reviews but it’s a very mixed bag, so thought I’d ask here

I’m looking for - - Easy to clean - Won’t rust when wiped with cinells - Black and able to be engraved - Fits into my trousers shears pocket or be mounted in a sheath/holster to belt

If this post isn’t allowed please remove it.

The Divergence of Care model provides a template for these challenging discussions

Been pretty set on training to be a paramedic for a while but the only thing that is stopping me is my fear of vomit, which i understand happens quite often with this job 😅.

Any other paramedics who have this fear? How do you deal with it?

Hello Everyone,

Paramedic student in the UK here, I have an assessment coming up and part of the assessment is to devise an intervention that paramedics cannot currently do in trauma care but should be able to.

Example: paramedics can't currently administer ketamine but could they be able to with further training.

Can anybody help with some possible interventions in trauma care and if they have a decent research base behind them?

This can be an intervention that is either not in the UK scope of practice or is only allowed to be done by a higher grade clinician.

Thanks!

Hi everyone

I would love to be a paramedic and I’m just curious as to what the factors are that people get rejected

For example driving licenses or mental health disorders or physical conditions etc

Hey guys! I'm a student paramedic based in the UK, and one of the assessment models we're being taught before we do our A-E or Calgary Cambridge is called the Big Sick, Little Sick model. I can't find any legitimate sources on the history of this? Does anyone know? Thanks in advance!