Corrie
As a paramedic in a large private organisation, I decided several years ago to forsake the
wealth and luxuries afforded by a corporate ‘suit-wearing’ job for the subjective benefits
attained through the provision of emergency care to those in need. Appalling salaries,
difficult and dangerous working conditions and the rise in medico-legal litigation plague
the industry. As paramedics, we provide care to the sick and injured 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. However, we provide this care amidst scandalous articles that berate our
profession and families of patients who verbally or physically abuse us out of sheer
frustration. We are equally frustrated by the actions of the government and the sheer lack
of resources and qualified people. We are also upset when we read about the wanton
spending sprees and sheer wastefulness that government continues to approve.
For many people, the work we do seems strange. We work bizarre shifts (often through
the night), climb into overturned cars or burning buildings, all without thought of the
personal consequences for ourselves or the effects our work has on our families.
My career success has come from being the best that I can be. No matter what the
time of the day or night, when we go to a call, we provide the very best care we can with
the often limited resources that are available. I have continued my education both in
the medical arena and with respect to human capital management so as to become a
better paramedic. The more I know about emergency medicine, the more care I will be
able to provide to my patients. The greater my level of human resource education, the
more able I will be to provide for my family when I can no longer work in the pre-hospital
environment.
I would describe myself as successful in my career because I feel great pride in the
work that I do. The salary may not be wonderful and the working hours are strange,
but ultimately I can go to bed every night knowing that I did something to help. Many
people sit on their couches and complain about the state of our country — the crime,
the poor healthcare, the disrepair of our schools and the inadequacy of the teachers.
However, very few people get up off their couches and go and become a police reservist,
a paramedic or a fire fighter. Their argument is that this work is too dangerous. This may
be true, but how many people get involved in community projects that are rebuilding
and repairing our country’s schools, or how many are willing to help teach our country’s
learners so that the future prosperity of the nation can be guaranteed?
1. Which line from the case study shows competency