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| Thinking
of a Career as a Paramedic? |
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It’s 3
o’clock in the afternoon and you’re on your way to another
emergency call. This time it’s a CPR in progress, a child
has accidently electrocuted himself whilst playing with an
extension cord in the garage. As
you rush through the busy streets with sirens blaring and
lights flashing, you prepare yourself physically and
emotionally for the task ahead. Will you get there on time and
will you be able to make a difference in this little
persons’ life, just as you have done for others … so many
times before?
Life as a
paramedic can be demanding and stressful yet it can also be
very rewarding. Do you have what it takes to be a paramedic?
The following information aims to introduce you to the
paramedical training options
available in South Africa. |
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So Where
Do I Start?
Currently in
South Africa there are two options available to become a
paramedic. One of the ways involves doing three levels of
training over a period of time whilst gaining practical
experience and the other involves studying full time at
university.
Option
1: Short Courses:
To start off
your career in the pre-hospital emergency environment you will
need to complete basic training. A course, formally known as
the Basic Ambulance Attendant’s |
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course,
or BAA, is a 5 week course that will introduce you to patient
care and life in the ambulance services. This course will
teach you the basics in patient care, human anatomy,
physiology , pathophysiology as well as the use of certain
ambulatory equipment.
The AEA qualification also requires that you record proof of
1500 hours in practicing intermediate life support techniques.
On completion of this requirement, you will then be entitled
to apply for the third and final qualification, an advanced
life support certificate also known as Critical Care Attendant
or CCA.
The CCA course provides nine-month of intensive training that
will build your skill and confidence in providing ultimate
care to a patient in need. As a qualified CCA you will be able
to perform a wide variety of Advanced Life Support techniques
which include, but are not limited to, advanced airway
management, drug administration and advanced cardiac support
for patients of all ages.
IMPORTANT
NOTE: It is envisaged that the structure of these certificate
courses will change over the next few years. For further
information, please contact a paramedical training centre that
is approved by the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
(HPCSA)
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Option
2: Studying at University
National
Diploma: Emergency Medical Care
The second option is to complete a 3 year diploma in Emergency
Medical Care at either UJ or at Durban Technikon.
On successful completion of this course, you will have
an recognized qualification in Advanced life Support. This
course involves practical requirements during the four years
of training and usually includes both a medical and rescue
aspect to the training. Course requirements from UJ available here.
Emergency
Care Technologist (ECT)
There is
also a new full time course available called the ECT, or
Emergency Care Technologist course, this is a two year course
and is only currently available at certain institutions. For
more information on this course, contact the Health
Professions Council of South Africa. (HPCSA) |
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| So
How Does it Sound? |
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| Sound
exciting doesn’t it? An advanced life support qualification,
with a few years experience will open up many new an exciting
opportunity for you both in South Africa as well as around the
world. So, if you think this is for you, you now have an idea
on what is required. |
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| Still
not sure if this is for you? – Why not test the waters? |
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| Over
the years we have seen many people that have begun a career in
the emergency services only to find out, after great effort
and expense, that it’s not really their ideal career choice.
Often the excitement of the adrenaline rush catches their
attention in the beginning , but what they don’t see are the
long hours and the reality of dealing with severe medical
emergencies, trauma and
even death … every
single day. |
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| At
Dynacare we suggest that before you set your future in
concrete and before you invest a large amount of money in a
career that you may not know too well, test the waters first
by attending an Advanced First Aid Course. This will
allow you the opportunity to get the feel of the industry, and
although first aid training is not entirely equal to the Basic
Ambulance Assistant’s course, it does resemble many
similarities especially when it comes to dealing with
emergencies and providing life saving care. It will give you
the opportunity to introduce yourself to basic anatomy and
physiology which will give you a “head start” for future
training, in fact most medical training institutions suggest
that you attend first aid training before studying further.
You will also have the opportunity to speak to our courses
facilitators whom all have years of experience in the
pre-hospital emergency environment and would be more than
willing to guide you where possible. Best of all the cost of
an advanced first aid course comes at only a fraction of the
cost of these medical courses. (More
info on Advanced First Aid Course here.) |
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