Paramedic student to NQP Transition

Hey guys,

I've just finished my final placement as a student paramedic and I'm currently in the process of getting HCPC registration, final grades etc. I have a conditional offer with an ambulance trust but have been made aware that the start date will most likely be around september/october time. My question is what have people done to stay clinically active while waiting for that start date?

I'm still doing the usual online quizzes, podcasts, webinars ect. for CPD but I feel like it's a long time away from any patient doing clinical skills/assessments. Furthermore, I've tried applying for local CFR roles but have been something along the lines of 'due to my skill set/scope-of-practice being more than that of a CFR I should apple to become a medical first responder' (MFR).

The only issue with that is the trust policy states that to become a MFR you need to have atleast 12 months post graduation as an NQP to become one.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks :biggrin:

Reply 1

kuponut

I'm not a paramedic but another AHP (I'm a SLT) and I had a similar gap starting my first job. I'll be honest - I did nowt apart from enjoy the break. As HR wind up to you starting (and NHS HR runs at one speed... SLOW) you'll have a nice whack of death by mandatory e-learning anyway coming up to slog through. The start date comes around soon enough believe me.

I also felt like this last year - people on my course went basically straight from getting results into first posts, and I had a break before starting (just from logistics of start dates) and I felt like I SHOULD be doing stuff all the time... but the enforced gap did me the world of good, it meant my HCPC was all sorted out and ready so I didn't have to start on a lower band and then move up, and also it meant I missed all of the awful heatwave which hit about a week after everyone had been posing doing selfies in their new work tunics and then realised just how awful their nice work tunics were in a hot hospital or NHS office in a massive as hell heatwave. I missed all of that joy of smouldering polyester!