The Shift Extension Paramedic Podcast

We got a letter from an avid listener. A handwritten letter with a wax seal. They had some great questions about analgesia, working as a clinician while they are a student and the toll of the job. 

This was a topic that came up over coffee. We hit record and wanted to see where the conversation would flow. Check it out! Join the TSE community today. Access member only content and discounts on events. Head to The Shift Extension | Preparing the next generation of paramedics for the real world! | Patreon to sign up. 

Have you heard the term, just because you can, doesn't mean you should? Today we discuss a paper called "Idle peripheral intravenous cannulation: an observational cohort study of pre-hospital and emergency department practices" by Hugo Evison. Article: Idle peripheral intravenous cannulation: an observational cohort study of pre-hospital and emergency department practices | Scandinavian Journal of...

Paramedicine outside of the truck explores the opportunities for paramedics outside of traditional roles. Today we explore humanitarian medicine both in Australia and overseas. Become a member today and access exclusive content, discounts and a community of likeminded clinicians. Head to The Shift Extension | Preparing the next generation of paramedics for the real world! | Patreon to sign up

A quick and easy chat about hypoglycemia. What have we learnt from our experiences, and what are the nuances of treatment. Do these patients need to go to hospital? Become a member today and access exclusive content, discounts and a community of likeminded clinicians. Head to  The Shift Extension | Preparing the next generation of paramedics for the real world! | Patreon  to sign up. 

You hear comments like "paramedics need to gain experience to be competent". This is great in theory, but not in practice. Not all paramedics can gain vast amounts of experience simply by the nature of where they work and the role they work in. Is this, ok? Should we or could we replace experience with training?  Join the TSE community today. Access member only content and discounts on events. Hea...

The title says it all. Have a listen, tell us your thoughts. 

This is part 1 of a series called "Paramedicine outside the truck".  Yes, there are plenty of places you can work as a paramedic outside of an ambulance service. This series will highlight a few. Today we talk about festival medicine, and what goes into keeping people safe. 

Sunny proposed this question about 6 minutes before we hit record. This is an unedited, unplanned chat that might surprise you. 

Thanks to Sam for the question. She asked us if we suffer from imposter syndrome and how do we overcome it. If you have a question for the team, write to us at hello@theshiftextension.org

Lou wants to know how we manage bleeding. What has our experience taught us about major limb, junctional and internal bleeding? 

We have all heard someone say "there are no jobs when you graduate", but how true is this statement.  Do graduates have less opportunities than those 15 years ago?  Do paramedics feel stuck working for an ambulance service? Does education reflect the many opportunities for paramedics in the private sector?

Have you ever been asked if you have done any real work today? What is a "real job"? Should we change our mindset? It might just improve our care and our own longevity. 

Today we talk about opportunities for paramedics outside of an ambulance service. From expeditions, to film, tv and flight work, we look at the skills, attributes and networks required to be successful. 

Today we chat about babies. Delivering one doesn't need to be scary. We talk about our experiences and insights into managing this cohort of patients.  

We all make mistakes. It's normal and a part of growth. Today you will hear about some of the mistakes Nick and Sunny have made during their careers. We also unpack perfectionism, something many paramedics are guilty of. 

Welcome back to season 2 of the podcast with our new co-host Lou. Today we break down the provisional diagnosis. Do we need one? How do we make one? Are they harmful?

Matt and Nick sit down to discuss this common challenge. What do you do if your patient refuses your advice? How to provide advice and break down the barriers to refusal How to assess capacity What do documents like power of attorney and an ARP really mean?

Mr. Jordan Emery path has taken him from NSW ambulance to an NGO in New York, before landing the top job in Ambulance Tasmania. We sat down with Jordan earlier this year to talk about paramedic culture, making mistakes and the idea of heart centered leadership. 

We are back for our first episode in 2024. Time for Matt to pick Nick's brain about fast and slow dysrhythmias.  Does electrode placement matter? How do I differentiate between SVT and VT? How do I manage these fast rhythms? When should I worry about atrial fibrillation? Do I need to be able to interpret all of the slow rhythms?

Today we sit down Sean Golding, an Australian commercial airline captain, paramedic and technical dive instructor. Not long after completing Australia's first non-stop flight from New York to Sydney, Sean found himself out of work due to covid. We talk about how Sean became a paramedic, how he handles medical incidents during long haul flights and what we can learn from aviation to improve fatigue...

Matt is back to pick Nick's brain. This time it's all about the respiratory patient.  - Should I give adrenaline to a sick COPD patient? - What is the difference between CPAP and BiPAP - How do I figure out the BVM? - How do I measure RR in an unconscious patient? - What is the point of a BVM filter?

Today we sit down with Professor Peter O'Meara. Peter has been practicing paramedicine since the early 1970's and was one of the first to complete a profession focused PhD. We talk about his early career, the inception of paramedic degrees in Australia and where the future of professionalisation will take us. 

This is the first installment of our new case study "What would I do if". Matt poses a series of clinical questions on the topic of TBI and the general management of a trauma patient following a long fall.  What should I take into a remote scene? Should I expose all of my trauma patients? Does everyone need a binder? How do I manage the agitated patient? Sedation or pain relief? How can I value ad...

We sat down with paramedic, nurse, midwife, and academic Belinda Flanigan. Belinda has had an incredible career in paramedicine from ambulance officer to now the head of the first school of paramedicine in Australia.  We talk about her career, her life as a midwife, how her PhD changed practice and some advice for those looking to dip their toes into research.