So over the lat few weeks my training started, and I have spent nearly every waking, and many sleeping, moments thinking about what I have learnt, processing the chain of survival etc.

It all culminated in a day of assessments, detailed below, all of which had to be passed to be able to get issued with my uniform and id badge.

All I need now is permission from SCAS to start my buddy shifts and get out there and do the job.

The assessments

There are 2 types of assessment on the final day. The theory and the scenarios.

Theory

The theory tests consist of 2 multiple choice exams performed on an Android tablet of some description.

The first is 20 questions the CFR principles. This covers ambulance service hierarchy, the role and the scope.

The second is 40 questions around being a CFR and the situations we can be called to and recognising the symptoms.

The pass rate for both is 75%. I am pleased to say respectively i scored 100% and 90%.

Scenarios

There are 5 scenarios to run through (6 including the CPR/BLS one done on the first weekend). which are conducted with an assessor (in our case a serving paramedic) and an actor.

The actor is given a scenario from a range, and the candidate (me) is given a one liner brief as an intro, similar to what would come through from the control desk.

The scenarios are

• Hypoglycemia
• Cardiac chest pain
• Asthma attack
• Anaphylaxis
• Stroke

There may be more for them to pick from, but these are the ones I was presented with.

Process

I will run you through the vague process of a scenario to help you know what it was like. For the is purpose I will use the stroke scenario, and will fall short of giving how I dealt with the scenario, to keep the integrity of the test for any trainee CFRs who stumble across this site.

It starts outside the test room, and you are called forward and giving a brief. Mine was “you have been called as a solo responder to a woman who is feeling unwell.

Pretty vague. It’s worth mentioning, you don’t know what the scenario is, nor the outcome required.

Upon walking in the room, you are expected to treat it as if it was actually a real patient. So going through your DRCABCDE checks, talking to the patient, reassuring and assessing.

When taking the patients obs, instead of actually lancing them, or turning the pulse oximeter on, the assessor will call out what it read. But only the measurement you are testing, so don’t forget any!

After the scenario is complete, on one occasion I was asked to leave the room so patient and assessor could liaise and compare notes. But most did the comparing in front of me.

They gave some clear simple feedback, if and where needed, and let you know if they passed you or failed.

One thing I have always held myself to is listening to and reacting to feedback, and on they day I felt I was true to my word as the first scenario, although a pass, was a little rough around the edges, the 2nd better witha. note to write more notes when gathering information.

Leading to the 3rd, where I was given the feedback that it was the best one theyd seen that day, most professional, reassuring and care full. I’ll take that.

In all the day was hard, and going into it I did not feel ready. But now, whilst I am still apprehensive about going and doing it in the wild. This is down to the the unknown of the patient/environment, not the the calls I’ll be sent to.

The paramedics that taught me over the course, are clearly skilled instructors and have a passion for their job that is infectious, without this I would not have passed.

So,

Ben, Matt, Terry, Jack – thank you! Might see you on the road soon.