Operations Manager Mark shares his reflections on the challenges of his role as a Critical Care paramedic, particularly an conveying sad news.
Who is Mark?
Mark Hawley has been with Devon Air Ambulance since 2006 and is one of our Operations Managers.
Over the years, Mark has experienced an incredible range of incidents and situations that have called upon his expertise and training as a Critical Care Paramedic. But sometimes our crew arrive at a scene where the patient is beyond help and all our clinicians can do is look after those involved with care and compassion.
When the above image was photographed, the photographer invited Mark to reflect on some of the most significant experiences in his career. The following is in Mark’s own words.
‘Telling a family member that their mum, dad, son, daughter or loved one has died is the hardest part of the job. No matter how many times you do it, which, for me, would have been many over the past two decades, it never gets any easier.
‘The hope is that in those moments you can offer some support or kind words that might make the news more bearable. We seek to provide some answers to questions or simply allow them a quiet opportunity to hold their loved one’s hand for the last time.
‘Giving someone dignity in their death is always what we try to do. Sometimes the burden of this spills over, and it is our loved ones and colleagues we turn to for comfort and support.
My hope is always that a patient’s family member might take some comfort from the words I say at their time of greatest sadness. I suspect my words are rarely remembered, but if they are, I hope they are remembered in with the intended kindness.
‘Although over the past two decades I have responded to hundreds of successful missions with happy outcomes for patients and their families, breaking bad news to the ones that don’t go so well never gets easier.
‘But I am proud to be there in the best way I can for people in their time of need. It is what I do and will continue to do.’
Our mission goes beyond delivering critical care to the scene of an accident or emergency, we are also committed to providing compassionate support to patients and their loved ones during life’s most difficult moments.
Our dedicated team of patient and family support clinicians can help guide individuals through challenging times, offering reassurance, answering questions and connecting you with services and charities that can support your specific needs.
We invite former patients and their families who are seeking to fill in gaps in their knowledge of what was involved in an incident to contact our Patient and Family Support team.
Your support makes our service possible.
