Amy's Journey - Emergency Care Assistant

Amy Edgar is an emergency care assistant who has been with the Trust for one year.

Before joining the ambulance service, I worked as a healthcare assistant in a hospital where I found my love for helping people, learnt a lot about healthcare and developed some amazing interpersonal skills. It was during this time that I decided I wanted to further develop my career and start responding to emergencies, which is why I joined EEAST as an emergency care assistant (ECA).

Being an ECA is very different to my previous role at the hospital as there were always senior staff members and doctors you could turn to for immediate advice. Working on the frontline is very fast paced and you often have to think on your feet to make fast, yet appropriate decisions based on the patient’s condition – which makes it more exciting.

Each day varies from the last, you work as a team with your crew and get to meet so many people on the road. No two days are the same so it’s a great way to learn new skills for all different types of jobs and know how to respond appropriately. I also enjoy being able to make a difference to someone’s day as best I can.

I wanted to make a difference to people’s lives where I could and felt this job would be the perfect opportunity to do so. I also felt it was an exciting challenge and a good start into developing my career into a paramedic one day.

If you’re considering a career with the Trust, I would say absolutely go for it! I’ve only been here a short period of time, yet the staff have all been so friendly and welcoming. They’re always willing to help me develop my skills and better my knowledge as it’s a constant learning opportunity whilst being on the road. Make sure you’re open to get stuck in as I’ve found that’s the best way to learn, and the staff are all amazing so don’t be afraid to ask any questions. There’s no such thing as a silly question!

I’m proud to be part of EEAST as it’s like being part of a huge team that go out every day and make a difference to people’s lives. The care and compassion everyone has for the job is amazing and it inspires me to be the best version of myself I can be.