Australian Paramedics & The rest of the world

[AussieParamedicMan]

G'day mates,

I am in Western Australia, currently in Karratha, which is on the North West shelf.

I am writing this post to share some information and hopefully receive some back. Because, the world gets around on sharing information and this topic may be useful for people making decisions.

I started out in the prehospital field in 2010, I completed a Certificate IV in Health Care (Ambulance) at Medic One,

I then tried to get into the state ambulance service to be a Student Paramedic, which is the only option for working as a Paramedic on the state ambulance service, going though the only provider for the state, St John Ambulance WA.

I didnt get in.

So i Decided to go to university. At the time, paramedicine was only offered to students working for St John Ambulance, so I studied Neuroscience. Whilst studying Neuroscience, Medic one called me up and offered me a place on their Diploma of Paramedical Science (Ambulance) (the equivalent to the US EMT-I).
I initially said no, "I am at university, not enough time to do that". But then after a few attempts by them I accepted (glad I did!). I finished the Diploma this year, whilst I was still studying neuroscience. By luck, a nice person from the American Heart Association came to WA and did my BSL and ACLS, that was really cool.

I decided to leave Neuroscience, because, Paramedical Science was now an open major for anyone to apply to study for at University. I am at Edith Cowan University now and am loving it.

Back tracking a bit here, Medic One is an Industrial Paramedic/Medic Training Provider that trains people to be able to work on the mines/industrial sites to provide advanced prehospital care (Opiates, 12-lead, running a code, ET intubation etc.)

St John Ambulance, is the state's only ambulance service and currently hires 20 people per year. About 500 apply.

My friends who work at St John, all work on a 2 days, 2 nights and 4 day off roster. they do 2x 10 day shifts, 2x 14 hour night shifts and then get 4 days off. they also get 2 months annual leave. Most of the Paramedics are on over $100'000 because they clock up some over time.

I can't wait until I get a job there, It will have my life sorted.

At the moment, I am studying full-time via distance education to finish of my paramedic training. Because I already have my diploma I only have to do online study and clinical placements.

I have fortunately found a casual job on a construction site in Karratha and doing my first stint up here. this month I am doing 8 days on, 4 days off then 8 days on. I have not had a patient for the last 4 days and I am left up to my own devises to keep my self occupied.

I am on a humble wage of $60 per hour, I work 10 hour days.
so by pay period next week, thats $4500 before the 30% tax that will most likely get taken out.

Its not too bad for a student wage. Although I can only do this job every now and then, because of Uni and the clinical placements.


So there is a little Hx from my life over here in WA, and how I am becoming a Paramedic, and the pay over here in Australia.

The other states in Australia pay different and not all require a 3 year bachelor degree like WA. Mine sites and remote locations pay around $130k - $160k per year.

For a comparison to other health care professionals. Doctors doing the same job as me on a mine make $3500 per day. and work 14 days on and 28 days off.

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The reason I am sharing this with you, wherever you are, is to find out what the differences are in the world, and possibly opening up your eyes to the opportunity over here.

In Australia Paramedics are the most trusted professionals (last 5 years in a row). now sharing the top spot with the fire fighters:

Becoming a Paramedic in Australia is not an easy feat, and It is hard to get into.

Victoria, one of our states, is currently suffering a Paramedic shortage and are desperately needing people. I think the pay issues are contributing. But they are still on around $70'000 (I am estimating, correct me if I am wrong)

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So please, Contribute your thoughts, opinions, where you work, what you earn, how long it took you to find work/ get the job you want.

Is your pay good? bad?

What are your conditions like?


Cheers.

 

[Pkreilley]

That's good pay if it's in USD. The average in US is like $40k. I'd love to work in AU. Do you know if US paramedic classes transfer?

 

[Medic Tim]

I currently work Industrial(oil sands/construction) in northern Canada. Most companies out here pay 50-75 an hour for a 10-12 hour day, for an Advanced Care Paramedic (3 years plus experience). I work a 2 week on 2 week off 12 hours on and 12 on call rotation. My company flies me back and forth (I live on the east coast of Canada, aprox 6 hour flight) and covers most all of my expenses while I am away from home. On the 911 side it varies from province to province. The east coast usually pays less. Base is around 60-75k a year (Canadian dollars) where out west you can make over 100k with minimal ot....if any. To be a BLS medic it is 1-2 years of school. If you want to go ALS it is another 1-2 years.....you need 3 total with a few years work experience in between.

 

[AussieParamedicMan]

Reply

G'day mates.


PKreilley: I know people from the UK, Canada, South Africa and America landing jobs in Western Australia's St John Ambulance.

St John Ambulance in Australia, is a non-for-profit organisation (I think everywhere else too). Within the 8 Australian states and territories it is only the sole EMS (000/999/911 etc) in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. All of the other states are fully run by the Government Health department. I have a friend who is from Canada, but we met in Perth, She really wants to be a Paramedic here, but due to visa's and the cost of international student training here, she is currently back in Canada doing her training and then (she is planning on) St John Ambulance sponsoring her to live here, which is something companies can do to secure international workers permanent visas (or at least a 5 year stay with a pathway to getting a permanent visa, if they choose (usually they do).

Australia is soon heading for Paramedic Registration. Currently we do not have that. At the moment, each state has different CPG's and skills, and an organisation called Paramedics Australasia, are campaigning to harmonise all of the skills and CPGs that paramedics use.

I can only really speak for Western Australia (Because thats where I live and work in). But the Paramedics on the EMS here are all trained up to the same level. Their advanced skills are; IO, 12-lead telemetry sent to hospital with Heprin therapy pre-hospital, Needle Chest Decompression, emergency tracheotomy, they are starting to carry the 'Lucas 2' chest compression robot/machine for automatic compressions, their max pain relief combination is Fentanyl/Ketamine, They use Capnography with ET placement. In WA we have one Helicopter (about to get another one for Bunbury in the states South West). The HEMS Paramedics use rapid sequence intubation and ventilators, plus more drugs and possibly more skills. Landing a job there is even tougher, because, one needs to be in St Johns first, then apply for HEMS, so 2x the competitiveness.

Your best bet to find out information is emailing and checking out the web site of; "Paramedics Australasia" as they are going (trying) to be regulating who does and has what.

Second, If Western Australia is somewhere you may want to work. Then "St John Ambulance Western Australia - Change Lives", is a site you may want to check out and email, or possibly call. Our world/ local calling code is +61 08.

Or if Victoria (Melbourne)(who are desperate for paramedics) is somewhere you may want to work in, the I suggest going to the "Seek Australia" web site and typing in "Ambulance" then select the state Victoria. That will show the jobs that are available.

Like I mentioned, I am looking forward to getting into the State Ambulance service (St John's) here in Western Australia. Apart from that fact that I love my job and EMS, I will be really looking forward to having 2 months annual leave per year.

In Western Australia (WA) there is about 2 million people, which are mostly all located in Perth the capital city of WA. The rest of the state is sparsely populated, the state is mainly woodland/forrest south of perth and barren desert north of perth. In the North/Northeast of Western Australia, there is lots and lots of mining. Ranging from all of the precious metals to iron ore, gas, etc. Gold is a big commodity here and we export lots of it. WA has been able to keep the rest of the country a float when the GFC hit, personally I never noticed any change here in WA, we were very fortunate.

Here, Mine sites, Private Aeromedical jets, Oil rigs and Construction sites all hire Paramedics. Most of these jobs, you will be working remote, with varying rosters of (8 days on 6 off) (one week on/ one off) (2 weeks on/ 2 off) etc. You may be working alone (like I am right now) or with a team, including doctors, nurses, rescue. Some places may be 1000km away from a hospital. If you go onto an oil rig they can work up to one month on one off, at around $1000 AUD per/day. Oil rigs will have their own HEMS attached if required. On a remote site, all accommodation, food and flights are all payed for. As well as health care (most of the time) but health care is not an issue in Australia, the government subsidise most of it, and for my self I pay $35 per week, to get top health cover via HBF a private health insurer).

Luckily here we have a service called the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). They have hangars all around the country, some in little towns with only 500 people. But if you call them they are really helpful, they will triage your patient into their system (sometimes they are busy, other times you will get a Jet straight away) and they will dispatch a jet with a doctor and nurse on-board and they will take over medical care when on-scene and whilst en-route as the dispatcher will be a doctor that takes over medical direction via the telephone. Most mine sites have their own landing strip.

We also have the St John Ambulance service, which in remote parts of australia are only manned by volunteers in the little towns (sometimes with 500km between towns). Their scope of practice is limited, Oropharyngeal airway, AED, and Methoxyflurane, Epipen, GTN, Asprin etc. But it is the best we can do at the moment, I guess because of financial limitations. Usually if there is a big MVA, the mine sites will help out the volunteers with advanced skills, there is usually a mutual agreement in place between all closer-proximity sites.

I guess if you are interested, and the pay sounds good, what matters then is what that pay can get you over here. Because, like everywhere it is relative to the inflation and price of goods.

All in AUD

Petrol is ~$1.40 per litre.
A 600ml bottle of coca cola is ~$3.50
1lt of milk $2
a decent Mac computer $1400.
Rent $250 - $500 (depending on area/ size). $500 will get you a two level, 4-5 bedroom, brick house, in an medium economic area of Perth. Me and my partner are living in an apartment in Mosman Park, which is a so-called posh area (doesn't matter to me), and we pay $250 per week.

For residents, hospital is free, people with health insurance don't pay for ambulances, or surgery costs.

A movie (cinema) ticket is $18 for an adult.

Before I landed the job I am on now, whilst at university I have been working for Brinks Security (Armoured trucks). They are paying $28 per hour, so after tax and a 40 hour week, I'd have ~$1000. take out rent, $750, Groceries for the week $550, then petrol for the week. I would have around $500 in the bank.
Although it is just me and my Girlfriend, so w don't have to worry about kids expenses etc. Electricity around $60 per 2 months and water is like, $500 per year, payed in the middle of the year (or start of tax time).

She works at a cafe, but is studying full-time as well. She earns around $22 per hour during the week and $27 on sundays. She makes around $600 a fortnight.

I let her just do what ever she wants with her money, and I pay for most things. She buys me useless (sorry baby) presents every now and then, and thats ok.

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Medic Tim: Nice, Canada does sound similar to us in them respects. I have heard that canada has some high level skills for their paramedics. A good friend of mine has just moved back to Toronto and Studying next year (for ?2 years) so she can become a Paramedic.

Over here it is becoming the 3-year bachelor degree as the norm (international candidates excluded, there is conversion pathways for them).

If one wants to go intensive care, medical retrieval etc, then they need to do a Post-graduate certificate or diploma at university that can be 6 months to 2 years. and from $6000 to $15000.

I guess the upside to them costs is that the Paramedic can continue working full time and their bachelor degree is payed up-front by the government and the student (me at the moment as well) pays off their interest free(HECS) Higher education credit scheme, only after they are earning over $47'000 per year and then it is only about $3000 - $4000 per year, out of their tax. As they were students before working , they don't miss that money because they are earning more than that could before.

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Thanks for responding guys and sharing some info.


Cheers,

 

[Medic Tim]

Medic Tim: Nice, Canada does sound similar to us in them respects. I have heard that canada has some high level skills for their paramedics. A good friend of mine has just moved back to Toronto and Studying next year (for ?2 years) so she can become a Paramedic.

Over here it is becoming the 3-year bachelor degree as the norm (international candidates excluded, there is conversion pathways for them).




Cheers,

For the most part we have 3 levels of paramedic in Canada. Primary care paramedic, Advanced Care Paramedic and Critical Care Paramedic. IN Ontario PCP is 2 years. The national scopes for each are the NOCP profiles found at http://paramedic.ca/nocp/ . The actual scope varies from province to province though. Where I am now we do antibiotic and suturing as an Advanced care medic. We don't have a degree requirement and I don't see it happening anytime soon.... though I hope there will be.