The state government’s massive paramedic recruitment drive has produced 631 new employees to join Ambulance Victoria’s ranks this year, with the final batch being welcomed last week.
Recruits have joined branches across Victoria, including 239 in regional Victoria, with women making up about 65 percent of the new recruits.
Ocean Grove paramedic Haylee Davis is one of those new recruits, having started at the beginning of 2022.
Now 10 months into the role, Haylee has nearly finished her graduate program, and she couldn’t be happier.
“So far it’s been amazing, it’s an excellent program,” she said.
“Ambulance Victoria has been very supportive with everything I’ve needed. They have a great peer support setup.
“They also run a wellbeing day within the graduate program that I thought was excellent.”
Haylee, who grew up in Camperdown, new very early on she wanted to be a paramedic.
“In year 10 I attended a program at the Alfred Hospital about the prevention of alcohol-related trauma in youth,” she said.
“It was to educate about drinking and drugs, but what I took out of it was how amazing the emergency department was; the treatment the gave, the support they gave to families in rough situations.
“And then I knew exactly what I wanted to be. I’ve pursued it ever since then. I just wanted to be in their shoes, helping people.”
After she finished secondary school Haylee then undertook a dual nursing/paramedicine degree at Ballarat University.
“It was quite an intense program, very thorough assessment,” Haylee said.
“They really ensure you come out knowing all your guidelines, and that you’re competent and capable by the end.
“The study was excellent, it was just very full-on.”
Haylee said working for Ambulance Victoria has been everything she hoped it would be.
“It’s extremely rewarding; I see people on their worst days and help them get to better days,” she said.
“You manage things from life-threatening (situations) to smaller things where you can end up having a laugh with the patient.
“You get to build some excellent rapport with all different kinds of people.
“If you have the stomach for it, I can definitely (recommend it). Some days there can be a lot of vomit and other things, but it’s really excellent.”
