The Student Room Group

St John Ambulance Society

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Original post by KingGoonIan
A lot of it will be dealing with minor issues and as a new member you will be given as much time as you need to feel confident about treating people. You should never be left alone and you should always be accompanied by another experienced member.

You may just be filling in a PRF form, communicating with casualties and just being there to make sure they are ok and comfortable. I spend most of my time at rugby matches giving out ice packs and advising casualties and their families on what to do when they get home, where the nearest hospital is and what to do if so and so happens. Also spend some time giving out entonox which is always a laugh lol.

Recently signed up to accompany the night angels to assist them with revelers who have had a little too much to drink, am looking forward to that. The bloodiest wound I've dealt with was where a kid got cut along the head by a stud in a rugby match and the blood was coming out really fast.

It really depends on where your division is based. My duties are mainly sports related. If your division is based near a football ground you may be providing first aid cover for the football fans. If you go through the thread a bit I think you'll find some more examples. I hope you decide to join up it's a great experience!

Oops wrote too much again...


Thanks a lot. Also, I've been sectioned in the past; will this make a difference? Do you need to do an occupational health assessment?
Original post by 35mm_
Thanks a lot. Also, I've been sectioned in the past; will this make a difference? Do you need to do an occupational health assessment?


That shouldn't matter and no there is no occupational health assessment. Are you planning to get onto a healthcare course or a medicine course out of interest?
Original post by KingGoonIan
That shouldn't matter and no there is no occupational health assessment. Are you planning to get onto a healthcare course or a medicine course out of interest?


Eventually, if possible, i'd like to become a mental health nurse. I've applied to volunteer at my local hospital and have an interview in March, but I'm just scared that my past, and my psychiatric conditions, will make my attempts to work in healthcare futile.
Original post by 35mm_
Eventually, if possible, i'd like to become a mental health nurse. I've applied to volunteer at my local hospital and have an interview in March, but I'm just scared that my past, and my psychiatric conditions, will make my attempts to work in healthcare futile.


Congrats on getting a place at your local hospital, I know how hard that can be as I have so far failed to get one.

I can understand why you are worried about your past history but I wouldn't worry. I know a current student nurse who was cleared for practice when she had been sectioned in the past. As you're interested in mental health nursing and you're worried about your past; I thought I'd give you this link to a student nurse applicant thread on another website. The thread was started by somebody with similar worries to yours and a few reassuring responses were made.

Also you are likely to meet a few healthcare professionals and healthcare applicants who volunteer at SJA if you do decide to join.
Situation so far:

-applied for SJA this month last year
-started pathway meetings from March and it continued to May
-joined my nearest division in early June
-I moved house in early may so the admin has been confused with my details etc..
-I told them my new details
-I haven't got my ID card
-I have bits of my uniform
-I haven't been out on a single duty yet due to my ID card issue
-It's been nearly 10 months and no duties yet
-I'm finding the weekly meetings boring and I can't stand it anymore
-I stopped going to the weekly meeting since mid jan
-I want to quit

How do I quit?
It's a shame, I was really looking forward to do first aid at events but due to the ****ty admin, I'm not gonna bother
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by This Honest
Situation so far:

-applied for SJA this month last year
-started pathway meetings from March and it continued to May
-joined my nearest division in early June
-I moved house in early may so the admin has been confused with my details etc..
-I told them my new details
-I haven't got my ID card
-I have bits of my uniform
-I haven't been out on a single duty yet due to my ID card issue
-It's been nearly 10 months and no duties yet
-I'm finding the weekly meetings boring and I can't stand it anymore
-I stopped going to the weekly meeting since mid jan
-I want to quit

How do I quit?
It's a shame, I was really looking forward to do first aid at events but due to the ****ty admin, I'm not gonna bother


Shame your division doesn't sound very good, I'm sorry you feel the need to quit. Have you thought about moving to another division? Every SJA division is different and will be run slightly differently.

You're current one sounds well strict lol I barely ever carry my ID and went out on duty as an observer months before I became an official member. Then I went out to help out with another division and got told off for not having a tie (I'd never been given one) and lectured about our image - some real ego freaks in other SJA divisions.
Original post by KingGoonIan
Shame your division doesn't sound very good, I'm sorry you feel the need to quit. Have you thought about moving to another division? Every SJA division is different and will be run slightly differently.

You're current one sounds well strict lol I barely ever carry my ID and went out on duty as an observer months before I became an official member. Then I went out to help out with another division and got told off for not having a tie (I'd never been given one) and lectured about our image - some real ego freaks in other SJA divisions.


:lol: Well, I don't really like my division. A lot of people over 50 years so it's hard converse. For this reason,I hate practical work.
The leaders always make a fuss about making coffee and tea which really annoys me.

I would have considered moving to another division unit but I can't be asked anymore unfortunately. Perhaps a couple of months ago, but at the moment, I have no desire to do first aid. I keep on pratising and pratsing... for what?? I'm not going on any duties! :rolleyes:
I also have a friend who goes to events without ID cards and I told my division this, but they still didn't budge :mad:
Original post by KingGoonIan
Congrats on getting a place at your local hospital, I know how hard that can be as I have so far failed to get one.

I can understand why you are worried about your past history but I wouldn't worry. I know a current student nurse who was cleared for practice when she had been sectioned in the past. As you're interested in mental health nursing and you're worried about your past; I thought I'd give you this link to a student nurse applicant thread on another website. The thread was started by somebody with similar worries to yours and a few reassuring responses were made.

Also you are likely to meet a few healthcare professionals and healthcare applicants who volunteer at SJA if you do decide to join.


Thanks again for installing some form of optimism in me :redface: Have been worried sick that my past will prevent me from doing what I want in the future.

I don't want to put you out but if possible could you maybe copy and paste what it says on that website? You need to be a member to read it and I registered but no confirmation email has came through.
Original post by This Honest
:lol: Well, I don't really like my division. A lot of people over 50 years so it's hard converse.


I know what that's like when I first joined I was a 17 year old and everyone else was at least double my age, I found the meetings boring and lacked confidence when on duty. Now 2 and a half years on our division has lots of new young members, mostly medicine and paramedic science hopefuls or nursing applicants like myself or just people who want a hobby. I always look forward to my meetings now and have a medical gases assessment on Monday which I am really looking forward to. Just an example of how things can change for the better.
Original post by 35mm_
Thanks again for installing some form of optimism in me :redface: Have been worried sick that my past will prevent me from doing what I want in the future.

I don't want to put you out but if possible could you maybe copy and paste what it says on that website? You need to be a member to read it and I registered but no confirmation email has came through.


The reason you will have to wait a while to activate your account is because the website is run by one person. The thread is quite long so I won't copy and paste it but I will copy one reply to the OP from a mental health student nurse/MH nurse who started her course in 2009.

Hi,

Please try not to worry! I know it's far easier said than done. I had a very similar experience when I sent my OH form off 3 years ago - a very long MH history with hospitalisations etc. The Nurse who interviewed me was not helpful, scary and I thought that I didn't have a chance of getting on the course. What they don't tell you, is that lots of Uni's actively try to recruit people with lived experience of all sorts of problems, not just MH.

All they want to know is that you have a support network, insight into your experience and the ability to ask for help when you need it. As Suzie said, I would insist on being present at the meeting - the best advocate for you is you.

Good luck and let us know how you get on
Original post by KingGoonIan
I know what that's like when I first joined I was a 17 year old and everyone else was at least double my age, I found the meetings boring and lacked confidence when on duty. Now 2 and a half years on our division has lots of new young members, mostly medicine and paramedic science hopefuls or nursing applicants like myself or just people who want a hobby. I always look forward to my meetings now and have a medical gases assessment on Monday which I am really looking forward to. Just an example of how things can change for the better.


That's great for you!
I dread going to the meetings because I lack confidence talking to older people.
People my age, no problem but they don't come as often :sigh:
Original post by This Honest
That's great for you!
I dread going to the meetings because I lack confidence talking to older people.
People my age, no problem but they don't come as often :sigh:


I don't mind older adults but when you're new to a tight knit group of older adults it's quite daunting, also it puts you off coming back when they make jokes you don't understand or they make dirty jokes you do understand but cringe at.
Original post by KingGoonIan
I don't mind older adults but when you're new to a tight knit group of older adults it's quite daunting, also it puts you off coming back when they make jokes you don't understand or they make dirty jokes you do understand but cringe at.


This happens a LOT :lol: at my division unit. I just chuckle without having a clue. :redface:
Original post by 35mm_
Thanks a lot. Also, I've been sectioned in the past; will this make a difference? Do you need to do an occupational health assessment?


occupational health and SJA

1. As part of the joining process you will be asked to complete a medical declaration, this will be reviewed by a Health professional with OH responsibilities.

2. They may wish to speak to you or seek further information if they cannot pass you fit or can only pass you to reduced duties on the basis of your information.

failure to declare = instant dismissal as prima facie gross misconduct and potentially national blacklist should it be discovered.
Original post by zippyRN
occupational health and SJA

1. As part of the joining process you will be asked to complete a medical declaration, this will be reviewed by a Health professional with OH responsibilities.

2. They may wish to speak to you or seek further information if they cannot pass you fit or can only pass you to reduced duties on the basis of your information.

failure to declare = instant dismissal as prima facie gross misconduct and potentially national blacklist should it be discovered.


What's a medical declaration, this never happened for me.
Original post by KingGoonIan
What's a medical declaration, this never happened for me.


you should have filled in a health questionnaire as part of the joining materials , and a further health questionnaire if / when you apply for driver authorisation.
Reply 116
I need to fill in my health declaration form. It says it's necessary to know if i've ever suffered from any of these medical problems.

Where it asks if i'm on any prescribed medication, would I have to say about anti depressants, I don't really see why they would have much relevance.

Also it asks if i've suffered from 'stress, anxiety, depression or mental conditions'. Again, as above it's the depression. However, when I was younger it was anxiety and the depression was worse, as in severe depression, social withdrawal etc. But that was when I was younger, and I know I am completely different now.


And why do I have to put down height and weight? Is that just to see if i'm not severely over/under weight??
Original post by Kash:)
I need to fill in my health declaration form. It says it's necessary to know if i've ever suffered from any of these medical problems.

Where it asks if i'm on any prescribed medication, would I have to say about anti depressants, I don't really see why they would have much relevance.

Also it asks if i've suffered from 'stress, anxiety, depression or mental conditions'. Again, as above it's the depression. However, when I was younger it was anxiety and the depression was worse, as in severe depression, social withdrawal etc. But that was when I was younger, and I know I am completely different now.


And why do I have to put down height and weight? Is that just to see if i'm not severely over/under weight??


When you were anxious and depressed when you were younger did you visit your doctor or any other healthcare professional for it?
Original post by Kash:)
I need to fill in my health declaration form. It says it's necessary to know if i've ever suffered from any of these medical problems.

Where it asks if i'm on any prescribed medication, would I have to say about anti depressants, I don't really see why they would have much relevance.



with respect to mental health and operational duties

i'm about to send you on in uniform as 'the help' where you may be the first to happen across anything ... SJA were first there at Hillsborough and at Valley Parade, Crews on support may be sent to anything , or even if support work is limited happen across all sorts as a running call.

When the county i volunteer with was involved with Street angels ( along the line of the SOS bus as featured in the recent C4 documentary party paramedics) , we saw serious head injuries, incidents which were reported as stabbings ( but weren't - but had NHS vehicles, Duty Manager and immediate care team running until they were stood down - by the crew of the first NHS vehicle there because there were a couple of casualties none of whom had been stabbed)

i've sent a febrile fitting 3 year old to hospital with one of my colleagues from a motorsport even and flown a 13 year old with head and back injuries out from the same event ( fell off the top of a fridge van keeping stock for the ice cream vans)

as a first responder you will be sent to life threatening emergencies,

now do you see why we want to know about people's mental health ... there are plenty of members of SJA who have mental health conditions and are on medication , a lot of them have cat 1 fitness for duty and are SJA approved drivers - it doesn't necessarily stop you



Also it asks if i've suffered from 'stress, anxiety, depression or mental conditions'. Again, as above it's the depression. However, when I was younger it was anxiety and the depression was worse, as in severe depression, social withdrawal etc. But that was when I was younger, and I know I am completely different now.


see above, and past history is not a problem ... top tips for (truthfully ) completing Health declarations terms like 'as a child' and 'more than 2/3/5 years since last needing treatment' go a long way to helping make a proper assessment


And why do I have to put down height and weight? Is that just to see if i'm not severely over/under weight??


basically

also when it comes round to driver medicals etc you may be asked to do the equivalent of D4 medical if you don't have a vocational licence by test ( and therefore a D4 for the DVLA)
It is definitely 30 chest compressions then 2 rescue breaths not the other way round right? For adult CPR?

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