Bunbury placement a first for paramedicine students

Neither of them had been to Bunbury before, but when paramedicine students Mikaela Muller and Nicholas Durrant learned they would be the first to experience a placement in the South West town, they were ready and eager to leave Perth behind.

“I chose Bunbury because I wanted extended time on the van and the chance to use practical skills,” Nick said.

“It sounded like a good opportunity to actually get to see the inside of an ambulance,” Mikaela said.

The Edith Cowan University (ECU) students applied for the two-week placement, which was established through the collaborative efforts of St John WA (SJWA), ECU, and the University Department of Rural Health South West (UDRH SW). This is the first time that these three organisations have come together to place metro paramedic students in regional areas. Beginning on 4 December, Nick and Mikaela moved a few hours south of their ECU Joondalup campus to begin their hands-on experience at the two Bunbury sub centres.

They knew Bunbury would be an opportunity that they wouldn’t find elsewhere, both because of the number of shift days they would get (eight instead of the usual two that metro placements get) and because of the opportunity to learn and grow.

“The paramedics here wanted to teach us,” Mikaela said. “It means a lot to have someone want to teach you. You can ask questions and not feel like a burden.” She said that she was also excited for the broader service area and mix of cases that she hopes to experience.

Nick said, “I want to learn about the South West. And here you get to act more like a MacGyver. With less resources, you have to put your critical thinking and clinical cap on and advocate for the best patient outcomes.” He said he fully intended to pick the brains of the Bunbury paramedics so he could learn all he can.

Paramedic Justin Ingrey was one of the SJWA team members who worked to bring students to Bunbury for training.

“Having done some sessional lecturing for ECU here at the Bunbury campus, it became apparent there was an opportunity to host students in the South West,” Justin said. “Having a regional/rural experience is a fantastic opportunity for students to experience what it looks like and the unique challenges working in the regions can bring.”

Justin agreed with Nick’s assessment of the challenges that come with fewer resources in Bunbury. He said, “I think the greatest challenge [for the students] will be the ability to problem solve given the limited resources and how to safely treat and transport patients when required.”

The students know that the placement will be a big change. Nick said that he would probably find it challenging to move from classroom content to real-world application.

“With limited experience through previous practical placements, there is limited time for students to apply knowledge in real-world situations,” he said. “This placement, being a longer duration, will be the first time we students are given opportunities to apply clinical decisions outside the classroom while having the confidence to ‘take charge’ instead of strictly observing.”

Justin didn’t seem to have any doubts about whether the students would rise to the occasion. The first morning of their placement was a whirlwind of activity, including a visit to the rescue helicopter pad for a safety lesson, a stop in the Bunbury Regional Hospital Emergency Department for an introduction, and of course, a full tour of the inside of a SJWA ambulance.

Even though Nick and Mikaela are just getting started on their paramedicine journey, they said that the best thing about it so far is the people they get to work with.

“I’d been a volunteer before this, and the sense of community I found in the regions while volunteering was refreshing,” Nick said.

“I look forward to going to uni every day,” Mikaela said. “The sense of community, how passionate everyone is, how it’s all the same vibe – it’s so nice to have a group of people you can have trust in, it’s a great friend group.”

Justin hopes that they learn as much as they can and take that teamwork vibe home with them.

“It’s a great opportunity for them to experience working in the region. They may consider working in a regional area when the opportunity arises,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing them grow in their patient’s assessment skills and leaving with a sense of what we can achieve as a crew.”