Connections made on road fuel Ambulance Transport Officer’s passion for job   

For St John WA’s Alex Stavreski, nothing compares to the feeling of making a patient feel heard and valued during their most difficult times.    

Alex is an Ambulance Transport Officer (ATO) with the Patient Transfer Service (PTS), a team working around the clock to transport patients across the state safely.   

She hit the road earlier this year after first crossing paths with SJWA during her time as an orderly at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.  

After seeing the strong sense of camaraderie among the team in green, Alex said she knew she wanted to be a part of SJWA.   

“I wanted to not only join this amazing culture but to have a deeper connection with patients during nerve-wracking and anxious times,” she said.   

“A joke, a lolly or a positive affirmation can lift a patient’s spirit when they are most vulnerable.”   

Few day are the same for an ATO, with the team driving patients of all acuity levels across metro and regional WA.    

They transfer patients between hospitals, take them home after being discharged, transport them to and from medical appointments and aged care facilities.   

PTS also meet patients when the Royal Flying Doctor Service touches down in Jandakot ready to transport them to hospital for further care.  

“Many of our transfers involve radiation treatments for cancer or dialysis patients, which can be a very taxing time for them, so being able to provide safety and comfort is what we strive for,” Alex said.  

“ATOs also engage with end-of-life and palliative care patients, we provide reassurance, compassion and support during these difficult times for both the patient and their loved ones.”  

Alex said the best part of her job was making lasting connections with people from all walks of life.   

“When you engage regularly with patients, you meet their spouses, children or friends and it is like becoming part of their family,” she said.  

“I feel very privileged to be a part of their lives and truly cherish it.  

“It allows me to feel connected to my community and I am always learning.”  

With Macedonian heritage, Alex said she was able to use her language skills to help translate for patients on the road.  

Alex also identifies as neurodivergent and uses her own experience to support and advocate for patients and others in the workplace.   

“There are many times in my role that I don’t even feel like I am at work because I enjoy the interactions so much,” she said.  

“I think to myself, how would I like my loved ones to be treated in their worst times and that is how I approach patient care.  

“The most rewarding part of my job is making a patient smile, laugh or let out a sigh of relief during their most difficult times.”  

Operating since 2015, PTS is the largest provider of planned patient transport in the state.  

An extensive fleet and team of ATOs support communities across both metro and regional WA.  

ATOs are experienced medical team members who are capable of administering en route medical assistance should the need arise, and are dedicated to caring for all patients while upholding privacy, dignity and safety at all times.

For more information visit St John WA Change Lives.