26th August 2022
NIAS is delighted to announce the introduction of an Advanced Critical Care programme with the appointment of Advanced Paramedics into the Service. We are lucky enough to have one member of staff who already has the qualification, obtained through previous employment, and have five other Paramedics who, as trainee Advanced Paramedics, will now undertake a course of study, leading to a Post Grad Diploma, alongside a period of Consultant mentorship.
During training the APs will operate within the HEMS team as part of a HEMS Advanced Paramedic Critical Care team, undertaking all the normal duties associated with HEMS. As the role evolves the APCC team will extend their practice into NIAS frontline operational duties. This will bring great benefit to those patients whose clinical need is most urgent as they benefit from the expert clinical practice associated with the programme. NIAS frontline colleagues will also have an extra resource to call upon for the most seriously ill or injured. Additionally the APCC team will progress education and research within the Service, providing visible leadership through the practice of teaching and mentorship.
This is one of the most exciting developments within NIAS in recent times and we look forward to the entire team gaining the necessary qualifications which will lead to them providing, as autonomous practitioners working within a pre-determined scope of practice, high-quality clinical care for patients with a variety of clinical conditions. We wish them all luck in the months ahead.