Kristin Houlgate @KHoulgate Twitter profile

Last Seen Profiles

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

Today was the worst shift I've ever had in the ambulance service. The entire system has collapsed. We're no longer practicing emergency medicine. We're just desperately trying to put out fires & triage the sickest patients but it's just not enough.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

Being trained to help, surrounded by the kit to help, but being physically unable to help as you are stuck queuing outside equally broken Emergency Departments is soul destroying. The NHS was the greatest healthcare system in the world, but it's utterly broken & has collapsed.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

I cannot stress enough how morally injurious it is to crews, ED staff and control staff to hear broadcast after broadcast of patients in cardiac arrest, with their family members desperately resuscitating them, knowing there is no available resource to send.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

There are literally hundreds and hundreds of emergency calls in the stack with no resources to send. This is true up and down the country. People are dying waiting for ambulances as we queue outside ED's, themselves in crisis & experiencing critical incidents.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

We watch these patients deteriorating, sometimes dying in front of us, desperately trying to help them but powerless as the system is so utterly broken that there is simply no space, no bed, no doctor that isn't already treating someone equally as sick.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

We queue with sick patients. Patients so sick, that years ago, would have been immediately seen in Resus. Now however, they are looked after in the backs of ambulances, or in corridors, or cohorting areas.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

Patients, relatives, loved ones are desperately calling 999 begging for help as their world crumbles around them & there is simply no one available to help. We're stretched to capacity & beyond.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

We queue & our radio's sound constantly, with general broadcasts for Category 1 patients, from dispatchers & control staff equally desperate, trying to find anyone that can respond. Except there is no one. There is no available resource to respond.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

We queue outside ED for entire shifts. We finish hours late, often having had no break, no sustenance aside from a hastily snatched hospital biscuit & maybe a cup of water from the cooler.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

I'm so done. We're so done. If you're calling for nurses, doctors, paramedics & other NHS staff to be hung, then go fend for yourself. Don't use your GP. Don't call for an ambulance. Don't call 111. Don't rock up at ED. Don't want us, don't use us.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

999 calls taking minutes to answer, held in a queue. Category 1 immediately life threatening calls stacking, as no available resource to send. Cat 1 response times of >40mins. This is happening across the country, in September... I'm genuinely scared for winter pressures.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

Nurses are voting on industrial action to strike. Next week it is looking like Paramedics will be balloted on the same question. I will be voting yes.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

It's shocking to say, but I no longer believe the NHS Ambulance Service is able to provide a safe level of service to the British public. We're in crisis and need to go into emergency measures. Maybe only respond to Cat 1 & Cat 2 calls?

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

I tried my best, but for the first time ever in my career I had to abort a blue light run, after I fell asleep at the wheel for a second & almost crashed. Last night, my 9th shift in 11 days, was a 12hr solo RRV night shift. I must've driven hundreds of miles. Just not safe.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

15 ambulances queuing. Handover delays in excess of 5hrs. Hospital can't go on divert, because the hospital they would divert to is already on divert to another ED, as they're in an even worse state. We're drowning. The system is in crisis. #NHScrisis

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

Ambulance services are at breaking point right now. Welfare policies being suspended Welfare officers quit Patient safety officers quit Governors quit Huge numbers of staff off sick Short staffed Underpaid Long handover delays Awful triage How do we get out of this mess?

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

Any other paramedics finding it very challenging to be with a single pt for an extended period of time, like when queuing outside ED's? I feel like I'm hard wired for the short, sweet interactions. Not really set up to manage dietary, care, social needs of pts for so long.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

ED staff are actually superheroes. Today, I spent 10hrs as HALO (Hospital Ambulance Liaison Officer) for a busy ED. I didn't have a break, I didn't sit down, I didn't stop. And yet I feel like I did less than half of what they all did. I'm in awe. Also, my feet hurt...

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

If hospitals are going to set up tents in car parks to treat patients, then never again do I want to experience the absolute nonsense that is a 999 call to a hospital car park because the staff 'aren't insured' to help when the patient collapses a few steps from the entrance...

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

I don't know that I want to be a paramedic anymore... Feels like we're driving around generating vast amounts of paperwork, attending calls that we're never really required at / are inappropriate. Just wanna help people & make a difference & it doesn't feel like I'm doing that

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Can other HCP's stop using Paramedics as their COVID meat shield, to perform face to face assessments they're unwilling to, please and thank you. We don't want to be exposed anymore than you do. Feels like we're just being abused as a get out of COVID jail card.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Absolutely devastating news to hear of yet another colleague & Paramedic that has died, far too young, to suicide. This has happened far too often. We are working in a broken system and it is literally killing us. We don't want yoga or resilience training. Fix the system!

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Tweet this far and wide. GP land Paramedics Emergency Departments Let's support each other and stop bickering. I love and respect you all. I'm constantly defending you guys & dispelling myths. Each of us may not always get it right, but we're trying! #OneTeam

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

Crew mate was shouted at by a patient recently as they walked into A&E. "I waited hours for you lot to turn up. Had to get myself here in the end, you lot took so long! All of you, sat around doing nothing!" He was referring to the 7 🚑 queueing outside ED with pts on board...

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

6 years

After 2.5yrs of hard work I've finally received my registration. I'm now officially a registered Paramedic. Thank you to everyone that's helped, supported and believed in me. It's my greatest achievement to date & something I'm finally proud of xx

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

I'm constantly seeing public awareness messages from ambulance services asking the public to choose well & go to pharmacies for things like D&V Well then why am I sent to D&V as a Cat 2 blue light emergency about three times a week? We HAVE to triage better.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

8 months

Most paramedics don't want 6 figure salaries or to fly around in helicopters. They just want to work for an organisation where they feel valued, treated well, with respect and kindness & are well supported in their role. These are things NHS ambulance trusts seem incapable of.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

Every single job today was a Cat 2 blue light response from 111. Every single job was discharged on scene & not really appropriate for 🚨🚑. Feels like I'm already working in primary care, but with worse pay / hours / conditions. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Crew: "Uh, the scene doesn't appear to be safe" Control: "Are you refusing to attend?" I've experienced this. I hear it from crews all the time. Why is this the response? It's such a shitty, loaded question, intended to intimidate by way of fear of HCPC dismissal.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

Tried to apply for a balance transfer credit card. Got declined. Cos a full time Band 6 Paramedic in this country only earns ~£33k p/a. With bills, mortgage and ever increasing energy prices. Not to even mention ECA colleagues / FY1 Dr's etc. Pay public sector workers more!

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

Today, my thoughts & absolute solidarity are with #NHS staff across the country. Whatever your grade or role, wherever you work, whatever union you are with, whether you're striking or not, if you are calling for better & safer conditions for pts & staff, then I stand with you.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

This is a public service announcement. Just because I'm a Paramedic, does not mean I know why your dog is breathing funny, or why your bonsai tree dropped a leaf, or what that rash is on the body part you just whipped out in front of me unsolicited. I barely know what day it is

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

@EM_RESUS Ok, cmon Kristin, you've got it this time. Anterior elevation, reciprocal inferior and lateral depression. Acute anterior myocardial infarction, likely occluded LAD? I swear to god Sam, if you tell me this is hyperkalemia I'm gonna throw my toys out the pram 😂

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

@sharrond62 Lol. Comparing black face to drag. Moaning about stereotypes by providing a list of stereotypes about women. Great take.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Is it just me, or is anyone else noticing the massive expansion of urgent care within the 'emergency' ambulance service & an almost total outsourcing of critical care provision to charities? I feel like we're doing this wrong...

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

6 months

Well, after nearly a decade of working for the NHS Ambulance Service, today I finally handed in my notice. Shame really. I never thought it would come to this. But everyone has their limits, and I've found mine. Time to move on.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Still out there, challenging the same old misconceptions. Lately, have had: - Every patient gets a BM - Just convey to ED because it's "easy money" - CPR being done on someone with a DNAR. 👏🏻 Evidence👏🏻 Based👏🏻 Medicine 👏🏻 & 👏🏻 Patient 👏🏻 Focused 👏🏻 Care 👏🏻 People! 🙄

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

Me 📞: "Hello I'd like to refer a patient to your TIA clinic." Hospital 🏥: "Can you call back in the morning, we don't take referrals overnight." Me to my patient: "Any chance you can have this TIA inside working hours please?." 🤦🏻‍♀️ #24 /7healthcare

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

5 years

I don't understand the anger from junior doctors towards ACPs saying it's not equivalent. Med school = 6yrs? ST3 = Another 5 years? So 11yrs exp. ACP = 3yr BSc + 5yrs post qual exp + 3yr MSc ACP training. So 11yrs exp? Different pathways, same team. Why the hate?

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

5 years

You know the systems broken when you drive 1.5hrs on blue lights to go & tell a patient that the cough they've had for 2 days, that the doctor told them was a viral cough yesterday, and to just rest at home, did in fact appear to be exactly what the Dr told them it was... 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Early recognition. Immediate CPR. Early defibrillation. The chain of survival demonstrated at its best today at those awful scenes from #Euros2021 He's been given the absolute best possible chance and hopefully with continued work from medical teams he'll pull through.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

5 years

"NQPs are paid less because the burden of difficult clinical decision making is removed thanks to the robust clinical validation process they are required to undertake." Footage of the validation process:

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Ambulance service announcement: 📢If you triage everything as a Cat 1, then nothing will receive a Cat 1 response time📢 Thank you for coming to my TED talk. Recent examples: 18yr old called 999 for dental pain. Man called 999 to say he could see a gorilla in his room. 🙃🙃

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

So I recently found out that I am going to be mentoring a University Paramedic Student. How do I not ruin their life? Any advice?

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

An absolute privilege to have been a part of an immaculate demonstration of the chain of survival in a witnessed VF arrest with immediate bystander CPR & early defibrillation. CPR saves lives. We really should teach this everywhere!

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

A little thread on the importance of ECG interpretation as pattern recognition & not just relying on set criteria or monitor read outs: Not so long ago I attended a patient, who's only presenting complaint was dizziness & just not feeling right.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

Re: NHS pay offer from the government. Unions seem to feel this will be the best we can get and are urging members to accept the deal. This deal however, if accepted, will ensure that NHS staff continue to receive real terms pay cuts yr on yr. We deserve better. No from me.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

I think what would really aid the retention of the ambulance workforce & improve patient care is a remodelling of the clinical structure. My vision: Band 5 - NQP Band 6 - Paramedic Then split the workforce into Band 7 - Urgent Care Paramedic Band 7 - Critical Care Paramedic

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

If the government try to make it unlawful for NHS staff to participate in industrial action, ie strike, then I can guarantee you will have an almost immediate wave of resignations & further staff shortages. This would be catastrophic.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

5 years

Chatting to an ECA today with >10yrs experience. Really frustrating to hear that when working with some of the new paramedics they get spoken down to or belittled. I VALUE my ECAs experience. I'll ALWAYS ask for their input when problem solving. It's a TEAM effort.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

I hope that in recognition of the ambulance service crisis, there will be significant system change / restructuring in the future. At present the ambulance service is: GP overflow consultations 111 f2f assessors HCP free taxi line PTS Community healthcare Emergency Service

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

One of the biggest things I gain as a clinician from a critical care team's assistance at a job is their reassurance that I had everything under control & was doing everything right. Dispels imposter syndrome when they arrive & don't need to intervene. Instills confidence 🙂

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

9 months

Y'all do realise that Paramedics, Nurses, PA's, ACP's & ACCP's are just people right? People that care about their patients & try to upskill to make them the best clinicians they can be. Can we stop dunking on them all the time?

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

@Medic_Russell Sadly the age of experts is dead. It used to be we valued expertise & admired it. Now experts are decried as fraudsters & charlatans because a Facebook post or YouTube video said so. We now live in the age of idiots, and it will be the downfall of us all.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

5 years

@TheMedicalShots Try n find the bit missing from the middle n pop it back in.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

You carefully considered to raise our fees by 20% when we're all striking to make working conditions & pay better? That was carefully considered? God forbid you do something without carefully considering it... Still planning on spending ~£18k on the ol' Xmas knees up?

HCPC

@The_HCPC

1 year

After careful consideration, the HCPC Council has agreed to proposals to increase the annual registration fee from £98.12 to £117.74. The increase will not be introduced until after a legislative approval process has been completed. Read our statement➡️

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Incredibly frustrating run of shifts. Bombarded with reminders of how high demand & pressure is, but yet not a single patient conveyed today. All discharged on scene, none needed or benefited from an ambulance, most of them inappropriate & most from you know who.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

One of the hardest aspects of this job is going home unable to stop thinking / worrying about a job / patient, or shrug off the feeling of unease you have because despite doing your best to mitigate risk of harm, you were unable to eliminate it completely & had to accept it.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Is anyone @emergencyukshow wearing a mask? It's actually embarrassing. UK has highest COVID rates in the world. And this is a show for the emergency services, all of whom are declaring major incidents & cracking under the pressure. 🤡🙃🤡🙃 #EmergencyServicesShow

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

How much does a brand new extrication long board cost? And a couple cervical collars? All come standard on new ambulances. Petition for these to be removed and the money / space to be used to replace them with a fridge & coffee machine.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

"You're going to have to carry me to the ambulance love, I can't walk."

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Why do ambulance services place warning markers on houses instead of people. 👏🏻 Houses don't assault people👏🏻 👏🏻 People do👏🏻 That person remains a threat, even when not at that address. Incredible revelation. This systemic failure will result in harm.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

Can we PLEASE ban fireworks for public sale!? Licensed displays only please. It sounds like world war 3 going on outside my window & my dog is petrified...

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

We accept moral injury contributes to burnout. So why am I being sent by 111 to a minor MSK pain that occurred YESTERDAY, to a patient that literally told them they were happy to self present at an MIU, whilst all around me are GB's for Cat 1's... Moral injury acquired.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

How are people still not getting it... Why am I walking into people's houses where no one is vaccinated, no one is wearing masks, no one is testing and they're calling an ambulance with COVID symptoms... It's infuriating. It's been 2 years since I've seen my friends...

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

How long do you keep a job in the stack for, before saying "This no longer needs an ambulance"? Fictitious example: Care home resident falls & bumps head. Back up on feet, walking around, eating and drinking as normal, in good spirits, appears well etc. Job is 26hrs old.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

To clarify my stance on this issue, I do not believe public information campaigns designed to dissuade the public from calling 999 work. As far as I'm aware there is no evidence to support them & I would go so far as to say they're dangerous.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

Yesterday, there were 14 ambulances queuing outside the local ED waiting to offload. My patient waited over 5hrs. Everyone working incredibly hard, with amazing cooperation. Meanwhile, broadcasts for cardiac arrests & P1 backups in the community with no one to send It's April

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

@drphiliplee1 I pre-alerted a pt into Resus solely based on how the pt looked. Vital signs & ecg all 👍🏻. Pt looked like shit. Grey, profusely sweaty. My clinical instinct and Spidey sense was screaming at me. I had to insist & fight on the phone. Good job though. Aortic dissection....

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

Welp, doing a full resus in level 3 PPE potentially rates as the sweatiest thing I've ever done.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

All 🚑 trusts remain in REAP Black. Social media campaigns urging the public to only call 999 in an emergency & to instead call 111. And yet, we send 🚑 to taxi a pt to MIU for an ankle x-ray at enormous expense to NHS. All I did was 📞 an actual 🚕 for pt. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

I know I bemoan how poor triage is, complaining about 111 & 999 triage dispatching emergency ambulances to inappropriate jobs. But I think I have the winner. Dispatched to a patient that "feels fine" & "has no symptoms" as a Category 3. 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃 (Pt called GP to make appt)

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

MPs are seriously getting ANOTHER pay rise???? A 3.1% pay rise taking their salary to £81k p/a & they can still claim expenses??? Meanwhile Paramedics & nurses start on spine point 16 of Band 5 at £24,214!? This👏🏻Is👏🏻Bullshit👏🏻

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

5 years

Police to me: "We just wanted you to check this person over, make sure they're not injured." Me: 🤔 My boss: "Do it." (Later) Me to police: "I just wanted you to check this person out, make sure they've not committed any crimes." My boss: "Get in my office" Me: 🤷 #jokes

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

Kinda feeling like healthcare workers should all strike too tbh. Cost of living so high & none of us have seen a real terms pay rise in years...

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

1 year

@EM_RESUS Ok I'll give it a shot. So its a narrow complex tachycardia, which could be one of several supraventricular rhythms. I believe the R-R interval is regular, so not AFib. I'm torn between 2:1 flutter or SVT w/ aberrancy. Either way she's decompensating so it needs slowing down.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 months

Imho, the NHS 🚑 service needs to step away from urgent care & focus on emergency care. It's not set up for it. Zero integration with the wider system, no ability to request bloods / tests, add to patient records, action results, follow up etc. 90% of it = refer GP

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

"Why don't you just take the patient to the big shiny building where the more intelligent people can figure out what's going on" Words that were actually said to me by a doctor today... ... ... 😒

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

The world's gone mad... I had to get a plumber out to sort a blocked toilet. Cost £350! £90 p/h labour charges. Meanwhile most Paramedics get about £16 p/h.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

Just saw an episode of a program where police called an ambulance for a pt with no injuries, just to 'check them over'. A paramedic 'checked the pt over' & discharged them on scene,then the police took the pt to ED before going to custody for 'further checks' 🤷🏻‍♀️🙃

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

Struggling to wrap my head around why anyone would book a fit & healthy patient in their 30s with <24hrs of D&V into 🏥 for IV fluids & send an 🚑!? Lots of self care advice provided & signposted to my wonderful pharmacy colleagues. Don't want 🤮&💩 on 🚑 or in 🏥 thanks!

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

13 ambulances sat outside ED with patients on board unable to offload with delays of 2hrs is not good for anyone. I know corridor medicine is bad. But surely, it's better for pts to be on beds in the corridor with either a nurse or HALO monitoring, to free up all the ambulances?

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Being rota'd in to work 96hrs in 10 days in ridiculous. Even more so when you factor in the 4 night shifts & a quick turnaround of sleep pattern in the middle. Dangerous if you ask me. Fatigue leads to clinical mistakes & RTC's. But apparently it's not against policy... 🤷🏻‍♀️

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

@kimberleyseddon I'm so so sorry this happened to you. Your anger is completely justified. This is completely unacceptable and sadly happens far too often in our society. I felt numb for a long time. Would just stare at the wall and burst into tears randomly. Work had better support you. X ❤️

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Right here. This is why I keep banging on about crew safety & trusts taking it seriously. Stop asking us to do 'dynamic risk assessments' & withdraw if unsafe. This crew did exactly that & almost lost their lives as a result.

West Midlands Police

@WMPolice

3 years

#WATCH | This is the shocking moment two paramedics were stabbed in #Wolverhampton . Knifeman Martyn Smith has been jailed today for 9 years. The paramedics consented to us releasing the video to highlight the dangers Blue Light workers can face while protecting the public.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

This thread breaks my heart. Especially all the comments suggesting crews / staff don't care. We care deeply. Every day we're working in a broken system. Every patient we attend that's suffered as a result, chips away at our morale & resilience. It's not our fault.

sylvia jackson

@seasylvia2005

2 years

I just phoned an ambulance for my 86 year old neighbour. Collapsed. Probably been on the floor all night. Told ambulance could be up to 20 hours!!!!! What the hell happened to our NHS....

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

I kept repeating & reassuring them that they were safe, that I wouldn't hurt them or let anything bad happen to them whilst I was there. 15 mins later, they were sat up talking & able to be taken home to their safe place by a trusted relative. Kindness gets better results.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

6 years

A lovely patient just gave us 100 vegetable samosas to take back to station with us for everyone. Think we might be the most popular crew once we make it back! @OFFICIALWMAS #bluelighthappy

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

Don't bother clapping on Thursdays if you're going out and socialising, having BBQs / parties / gatherings. You'll be the reason we have a second wave of this pandemic. Too many stupid, arrogant & selfish people out there. I fear a second wave is inevitable at this point...

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

5 years

@doctor_oxford @duncanbew @BorisJohnson Do that list again with the length of training, academic requirements & personal cost next to the salary for each profession. It's a joke.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

36hrs in to a 96hr run of shifts and I'm already broken. So so tired and just about to start another night shift. Further demoralised by any DATIX submitted relating to crew safety/wellbeing being dismissed. Just doesn't seem to be a priority.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 years

I worry about how many paramedics, doctors, nurses & other healthcare workers will decide enough is enough & hand their notice in & leave the profession once this pandemic is over. We have to look after our staff. Our workforce is our greatest asset.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

6 years

On #TransDayOfVisibility it would be great if people showed a little love to wonderful charities like @Mermaids_Gender who support young trans people. I'm hoping to do some voluntary work for them in the near future ❤️

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

8 months

@Matthew0sb0rne 'scuse me who's the nurse in charge? It's that person over there in the aquamarine. No, not that one, that's more of a teal. Not that one either, that's more eggshell blue. Well that's clearly mauve, you're way off now...

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

Short tweetorial on Narrow Complex Tachycardias for any students or NQP's who may follow me. I suppose I would define a narrow complex tachycardia as any presenting rhythm where the rate is above 100 bpm and the QRS complex duration is <120ms.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

On the subject of NHS & sanitary products. Back in the first few lockdowns we were donated several boxes of tampons and pads etc. We put them in the bathroom to be available to those that needed them. They were removed for IPC reasons... 🙄

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

5 years

An intoxicated teenager vomiting & crying in a toilet cubicle. A nonagenarian that's fallen over & broken their hip / femur. One of these gets an 8 minute response, the other a 16hr response. I'll let you figure out why I was so angry.

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

3 years

To all the new FY1's, on my very first day as a Paramedic, my crew mate had a massive allergic reaction, falling just short of anaphylaxis, to a patients cat. I had to give him IV Chlorphenamine. Was the first drug I'd ever administered autonomously. You'll be fine 👍🏻

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

4 months

Last day in the ambulance service was today. Leaving with mixed emotions, but proud of the years I put into it & what I achieved. Lots of memories made and it's changed me as a person. Looking forward to the next chapter and challenge!

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Kristin Houlgate

@KHoulgate

2 years

Been feeling lately like reading Twitter is just a form of self destruction. It's all just negativity. Every tweet I read is either how the NHS is collapsing, or how fucked we are from COVID. If not that it's transphobia or hate speech or anti-vaxers. Can't take it...

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