Applicants' experiences

Two people's views of applying to join the HART team

Paramedic Melanie Bellamy was recently appointed as a HART Team Leader at East Midlands Ambulance Service. Her colleague Dave Jackson was appointed as a HART team operative. In this Q&A session they explain why they joined the HART team and describe the selection process they have just been through.

What attracted you to join the HART team?

Melanie: I love being a paramedic but I also have a passion for outdoor pursuits, action and new challenges. I have also been in the Territorial Army for 12 years and served in Iraq and Kosovo. All of these combined makes the HART team a great new opportunity for me.

Dave: I was attracted to HART for a number a reasons. Firstly the HART programme is a new and exciting ambulance development and one in which I wanted to be involved. It is the latest initiative that will broaden the paramedic role and will provide opportunities for further training, further experience, increased responsibilities, skills and improving patient care. Secondly, the whole field of hazardous areas, multi trauma and working in challenging environments is something I find immensely interesting and exciting.

Why do you think HART teams are valuable?

Melanie: For many years the fire service and rescue teams have gone into situations to help rescue casualties and the ambulance service has always stayed on the side lines waiting for the casualties to be brought to them. The casualties very often need immediate medical aid and to be there to stabilise a person before they are moved could mean an increased chance of survival.

Dave: HART paramedics are crucial in pre-hospital care, in situations that ambulance crews haven't previously been able to access, such as patients trapped inside collapsed buildings. This is where urban search & rescue (USAR) paramedics come into their own. It is essential for these patients to receive pre-hospital medical attention if their lives are to be saved.

What did you think of the initial application form? (Was it easy to complete etc?)

Melanie: This application form was no more lengthy or complicated than any other application form and as long as you have kept good records of your education and career history the form doesn’t take too long to complete.

Dave: The initial application form was no different from any other application form required for entry into the ambulance service. Its main focus was to ensure that you as a candidate are right for the job at an early stage. I filled it in honestly and thoroughly and used examples drawing on my experience to accentuate the points I was making in regards to skills and qualities I feel I have which are relevant to the HART role.

How did you feel before the Physical Competence Assessment(PCA)?

Melanie: I was a little apprehensive about carrying 35kg as I am only small but I knew that I should be fit enough to pass it.

Dave: I felt very nervous as I wanted to come away from the assessment having passed. I was nervous because the assessments are designed to find out whether you can cope and operate in situations which as a HART operative you are likely to encounter. For example, I had never put myself in an enclosed space environment, and so I wasn't entirely sure how I would react. You have to experience these conditions in order to know if you can cope, and fortunately I could. The fitness side of the assessment was fine - they are not looking for contenders for Olympic gold in 2012! They are looking for people who are physically able to carry out the role of HART operative, and the assessments reflect this.

Which parts of the PCA did you find easy and which parts did you find difficult?

Melanie: In the end the weight carry was alright because the 35kg was distributed well in a weighted vest and I completed it well within the time allowed. The rest of the assessments were great fun and did not seem like a test at all. The staff were really helpful and the training centre is a fantastic set up.

Dave: The ladder climb and the tunnel crawl are obviously difficult, as it's something out of the ordinary. The ladder is very high and the tunnel very small in places. However, with determination to complete the exercise it is manageable and a lot of fun. I felt a real sense of achievement after I had completed the assessments, especially the ladder climb, as the biggest ladder I'd climbed before this was one into the loft to get the Christmas tree!

How did you feel before and during the interview?

Melanie: I put a lot of pressure on myself before the interview but I think that was just because I really wanted the job. During the interview I was made to feel relaxed and a drink of water was available. When I left the room I had answered all the questions as best I could but had no idea whether I did alright or if they were the kind of answers they were looking for so it was a long wait before I could find out if I was successful.

Dave: The interview was fine, it was a very relaxed atmosphere and the interviewers were quick to put me at ease, as interviews are obviously stressful when you want to succeed. The questions were based on competencies relevant to the job where you had to give examples of previous experiences which demonstrated your ability in a given area.

How did you feel when you knew you had been successfully selected for the job?

Melanie: My family and the staff had been saying that I was right for the job and that I should have no worries, but that did put a bit of extra pressure on me. So when I found out I had been successful I felt relieved and extremely excited about the training and the new role.

Dave: I was extremely happy, I knew I wanted to join the HART team from the start, but after each part of the selection process my appetite and enthusiasm for the job was fuelled further, especially after the PCA day which was fantastic.

In your opinion, what skills should potential candidates definitely have if they are thinking of joining the HART team?

Melanie: Some experience of working as a team rather than a crew, and a good standard of fitness.

Dave: The skills required to be a HART operative are covered by the HART training programme. A pre-requisite within EMAS is that you are a paramedic and that you are able to work in hazardous, difficult situations. (Note: In some trusts HART operatives could include non-paramedic staff as well - see eligibility criteria, sample job description and sample person specification). So if you have completed the paramedic course and have passed the selection process, especially the PCA day, you are ready to train to join the HART team.

In your opinion, what characteristics should they have and what characteristics shouldn’t they have?

Melanie: They need the enthusiasm to be make a good team player with a good level of fitness and a positive attitude.

Dave: You have to be enthusiastic, flexible and eager to succeed in what is a very exciting and diverse area of the ambulance service. The types of incidents you will be called to could take some time, if not days in the event of a major incident or terrorist attack and could take you away from home for a while, so the ability to adapt is essential.

What was the hardest part of the whole recruitment process from a candidate’s point of view?

Melanie: The waiting to find out if I was successful was the hardest part.

Dave: Waiting to see if you've been successful!! It is a very tense time, especially when you've set your HART on it.......

Do you feel you had sufficient information about the role prior to applying? Was it enough to help you establish if this was the role for you?

Dave: Yes, all the information required to establish if you are compatible with the role are defined on the job description and person specification, but the biggest source of information that I found to be invaluable was the HART website: www.ambulancehart.org

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