Resilient and reliable

Who is Laura?

Advanced Paramedic in Critical Care, Laura, found her calling in healthcare as a teenager, volunteering at the Renal Ward in Derriford Hospital. At 18, she stepped into the demanding world of paramedicine. Becoming a paramedic gave her the opportunity to offer hands-on care, compassion, and strength to people in their most vulnerable moments.

‘We’re a close-knit team. We instinctively know our roles and how each other’s strengths can best support each individual patient. Adaptability is second nature to us – we respond to what’s in front of us, not just what we expect.

‘My clinical experience has built my confidence and deepened my expertise, helping me to feel prepared on the way to a patient. But we always stay open-minded – what we find on scene can be very different from what we were told.

‘The information we receive often comes from someone doing their best in a moment of crisis – a bystander, a family member, a colleague. We meet that uncertainty with calm, clarity, and compassion.

‘In the air, we support the pilot with navigation and safety, but our thoughts are always with the patient – how we’ll reach them, how we’ll get them back. We’ll climb through hedges if we must, but we also think ahead: can we carry a stretcher out the same way?

Resilience is important. We’re there to make things better, even if we can’t fix everything. We bring not just skills and equipment, but reassurance and humanity. In frightening moments, that can mean everything to a patient or someone close to them.

‘We care for families too – keeping them informed, offering honesty and comfort. If the outcome is tragic, we want them to know we did everything possible, that they were seen, heard, and supported. These moments stay with people, so how we made them feel is important.

‘Back at base, we may be called out again within minutes. But we always make time to check in with each other. Processing the emotional weight of a mission is essential, even if it takes time.

‘One of the most rewarding parts of this role is reconnecting with patients and families through our Patient and Family Support team. Seeing how they’re healing, sharing a smile, and knowing we made a difference.

As part of our emphasis on a patient’s long-term recovery, our Patient and Family Support Team is available to support patients and their families in the aftermath of an incident, helping them to understand what happened, fill in gaps in their knowledge and become familiar with the treatment and procedures they underwent.

This additional layer of care would not be possible without your support.