Healthcare careers are always worthwhile, but some definitely get more coverage as viable options than others. After all, the dream of being a doctor remains a widely held societal goal, while surgeons achieve high levels of respect everywhere they go. Even outside of these top-hitting options, you might assume that solutions such as in-ward nursing are best for your career progression. But you’ve probably heard a lot less about the possibility of becoming an ambulance paramedic or EMT.
In reality, though, countless healthcare workers thrive in the world of critical care transport, even if they’ve struggled to find their footing in a hospital role. Here are three sure signs that you might also benefit from making this switch sometime soon.
# 1 – You Hate Working in the Same Setting Every Day
If you’ve previously pursued a career in nursing or something similar, then you’re probably used to arriving on a ward at the start of your shift and then leaving that same ward twelve or so hours later. Some healthcare workers thrive in this familiar setting, where they recognize every corner like the back of their hands. For others, the Groundhog Day vibes that this familiarity can create are simply too much to stomach. Luckily, ambulance roles couldn’t be more different. While you’ll still have a familiar base vehicle for organizing your equipment, you’ll spend your shifts driving from one location to another. You might treat patients in their homes, on the street, or at work, ensuring that the backdrop for every shift is a real breath of fresh air. This can keep your career feeling exciting for years to come in a way that, sometimes, a more static role will struggle to achieve.
# 2 – You Thrive on the Front Line
Nurses in areas like intensive care undeniably get to meet patients on the front line, but ambulance workers are a step ahead of even them, arriving on the scene of an accident to assess, stabilize, and comfort their patients during those devastating moments. For some workers, the stress of that simply doesn’t appeal, but if you find that you thrive best professionally during an emergency, then this career shift could well be best for you.
# 3 – You’re Keen to Work With a Varied Team
Teamwork matters in every healthcare role and, even within a hospital setting, you’ll likely be working with everyone from the surgical team to the ward doctors, and beyond. All while communicating with patients and their families. However, ambulance workers can enjoy an even more varied surrounding cast, as they’ll likely work with everything from the fire services to the police force during their daily calls. This can lead to some incredibly varied experiences and colleagues, all of whom will likely have a thing or two to teach you in a way that the employees working within the same set hospital environment possibly wouldn’t.
If you’ve been struggling to feel at home in your hospital career, then ask yourself – would you be happier ditching your scrubs for sirens?