Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

where could you go with an ODP degree?

is it like nursing, where you can further your studies and become a facial aesthetics practitioner, or go into a higher field?

i've only heard about it recently and it looks pretty cool if it's got good prospects

Reply 1

moonkatt

It's an evolving role within healthcare in the UK, you can move into management through the paybands as a nurse would. Although the perioperative environment is an ODP's bread and butter, they work in places other than theatres these days, in emergency departments, critical care units, as part of crash teams or even with air ambulance crews. I know of a few ODPs who've gone into research and some have gone on to become anaesthetic practitioners which is a physician's assistant/associate role and others who've become surgical care practitioners.

Reply 2

InArduisFouette

moonkatt, i'm not aware of any ODPs who work on Air Ambulances (unless they are also Paramedeics or have subsequerntly gone to med School to become a passer of gas ) - but i've met ODPs doing all the other things you mention

Reply 3

moonkatt

Original post by zippyRN

I'd read somewhere previously that that was an environment they work in, perhaps it meant in the context of repatriation flights?

Reply 4

InArduisFouette

Original post by moonkatt

I'd read somewhere previously that that was an environment they work in, perhaps it meant in the context of repatriation flights?

if you'd got an ITU / level 3 patient on a repat and your doc is gas passer an ODP would be a useful member of the team to look after the machines that goes ping ...

Reply 5

Alogde

I'm aware of 1 student that has gone into air ambulance in London

Reply 6

Bradforth

The North Wales Air Ambulance advertised a job last year when I was looking with a job specification that did mention Operating Department Practitioners with relevant experience and qualifications relating to emergency pre-hospital care (BLS, ALS, PSL, ILS, and Pre-Hospital Care courses) The courses of course may have to be self-funded but are advertised through professional channels regularly throughout the year and if that is something you want to do, its definitely worth the investment.

Other jobs such as specialized transfer teams such as the North West Pediatric Transfer Service does look at ODPs (https://www.nwts.nhs.uk/)

The Regional Transplant Organ Retrieval Team based in Runcorn does recruit ODPS whose job is to travel across the region (In various transport methods either an ambulance or air) to recover organs to transplant to recipient patients.

The army / Navy is always a good shout (The HMS Queen Elizabeth is a great place to be I hear)

I have asked for some experience in my studies relating to the North West Air Ambulance but I haven't heard back but I have got a placement with the NWAS teams. Basically anywhere where anesthesia treatment or an intensivist practitioner may be required is somewhere an ODPs skill can be utilized. Even if the job does not say ODP, just apply and justify why your skills are transferable (but remember, when you qualify you to want to gain experience with your bread and butter, your surgical and airway management before progressing to more advanced roles)