Helicopter medical retrieval in Sydney, New South Wales

Undoubtedly the main attraction of this job is the interest of never knowing what will happen next! Primary response to an MVA allows one to experience the atmosphere and deal with clinical situations in an alien setting. This broadens ones perspective and has taught me never to be tempted to criticise a paramedic bringing a patient into a resus room. The same is true of interhospital transfers where tact and diplomacy can be tested as well as clinical skills. On the negative side the unpredictability can be difficult domestically (a primary at 17555 means you will be at least two hours late home) and there can be long and dull days when nothing happens. A lot of time is spent transporting post arrest patients from one hospital to another to find an ICU bed. In military medicine it is difficult to envisage a future conflict when severely injured casualties would not require transport both locally and over long distances. This job provides an ideal opportunity to become confident with transporting critically ill patients.