Anymore starting tullamore January 2024
Thank you so much for all that detail really appreciate it
On your undergraduate placements (third person) you will generally follow the shift pattern of a crew you will be assigned to. This can be changed a couple times during the 8 or 15 weeks. Generally it's 3 or 4 x 12 hour shifts week, including nights.
In year 2 as an intern (postgraduate), you will be relief staff. This means you will cover gaps in the roster as needed so your shifts will change to whatever the operations office need you. This can often be done whimsically and depending on what region you're based in you could be working out of a number of different stations per week.
You are contracted for 156 hours per month, there's no rhyme or rhythm to this as long as they fill your hours.
You could be working 4 nights one week, 2 days and 2 nights the next, 3 days the next, and 5 days the next all in one station.
In other regions you could be working Monday and Tuesday in one station, then Friday Saturday Sunday in another etc.
You get your roster 2-4 weeks in advance depending on the region. Expect to be working every second weekend at least.
The end goal is to obtain a line so you follow a set shift pattern for the year but that takes a few years to obtain so don't worry about it at this stage.
The bad news is this job is very shift heavy and it can be very draining, especially for those who have long commutes. Don't forget you rarely finish on time. Expect overtime as standard every shift - 12 hour shifts regularly turn into 14 hour shifts.
On the odd occasion you even end up doing 16 or 18 hour shifts.
Thanks for info. When you’re in year one , how many days a week will you be placed at a station . Is it 5 days a week or like 3x12 hours shifts ?
Year 2 , same again . When you are working as a dual crew what are the hours like ?
Yes it's full formal wear.
Year 1
3 months full time in the college initially. Observer placements are usually on week 3 after induction.
This first 3 months is where you will do the bulk of your theory and practical modules, there will be 3 MCQ tests and 3 OSCE tests. You have 3 strikes to pass these. It's very intense. It will be 9-5 monday to friday.
If you pass this you will spend 8 weeks as third person in a station and also do hospital placements.
Following this you will be back to the college for another 4 weeks for further training and NAS exams.
Then you will spend 15 weeks in a station 3 of which will be the driving course in Dublin.
Passing this you will be back to the college for a further 5 weeks for more theory and practicals, and most importantly PHECC OSCE and Short Written Answer (SWA) prep. Then you will have your PHECC exams.
If you pass then you will become a paramedic intern. You will be allocated a station of their chosing.
Year 2
Intern year. 1 full year working as a paramedic intern. You are no longer third person and are now working as a dual crew.
UCC work will start, you will have regular modules and assignments to complete. You will also have your NASC Intern portfolio to compile. You will have 3 on the road assessments from an Education Competancy and Training Officer.
If you satisfy the NASC portfolio requirements you will be called for interview. If you pass the interview then congratulations, you are now a registered PHECC Paramedic and can keep your job.
Year 3
You will be wearing the navy's and are a registered paramedic but you still have a year left of your UCC degree to complete. No more NASC work. Slog through your degree and satisfy UCC's requirements and you will graduate with a Bsc Hon.
Bare in mind that if you do not pass your UCC degree NAS you won't satisfy the contract agreement and NAS won't keep you on.
I would say so, smart trousers, shirt and tie. Good luck. :) I was told today at the Tullamore open day that we must be ourselves, a likeability factor or people person will account for loads and an eagerness to learn and serve.
Does anyone off the top of their head know how the 3 years are divided I've seen it somewhere before but just can't find it ?
Thanks @LB1982
Are we to be in formal wear ?
Suit and tie?
Anyone going to the open day in Tullamore tomorrow??
Firstly go back to all the attachments that your got from "apply" emails. There is so much background knowledge that they may ask. The NAS, the HSE and the role of the Paramedic. Make simple notes on each. Then, like the application form, get scenarios that you yourself have been through to demonstrate the skills they listed in their most recent email attachment. Write them down rehearse them and get another person to at home to ask you questions. Trust yourself and be confident, don't worry about what you think they want to hear, talk from your heart and you'll be grand. Good luck. 👍
Looking for help
What infomation other than our application form must we know for the interviews and where one can find this infomation.
Im one of those that hates interviews never mind a compentency based interview so like to be througly prepared with only a few days to go .
Any help on how best to prepare ?
I have done the STAR method but i keep stuttering and mixing my words up , its just the nerves but afraid this will impact my score .
Very good news .…hopefully this means something positive coming down the line soon for those of us who have been waiting on the panel since last Oct/Nov ÷
Interesting
Monday is the 22nd!
Got my interview letter.
Tuesday the 23rd. Morning.
I'll probably have to drive up from Dublin the day before and stay over.
would say email be your best bet ? They are fairly responsive to their credit. I think there is also a help desk number at the bottom of the apply support email. You could try that ?
would anyone have a number to ring - I need to speak to somebody about the campaign.
Yup. ;) I just hope they start the week of the 22nd.
yup just gone one too :)
Hey just received it a couple mins ago
Did anyone get the email today regarding interviews ?
thanks @Kitkat73.
Does that mean there won’t be anyone called for September classes? Are they not running this year? Very disappointing having such a long wait and no info
@taramc95 the balinasloe course starting in Sept was only for a specific placement in Dublin (slightly different to their normal eoi's that go out). I read in the Irish Independent that the HSE are making moves towards fully lifting the embargo soon but how much truth is in that is anyone's guess. Depends on how much funding they receive whether or not it will change. Hopefully it will lift ahead of the expiry date for the panel we're sitting on. If it is lifted soon I'd be hoping for a January start date but not building my hopes on it quite just yet 🤞
anybody know about EOIs for sept start? I know Balinasloe went out but what about the other colleges? I’m on the Nov 2023 panel waiting to be called. Doubt it will be September but hoping January.
Thanks Kitkat really appreciate the heads up. God it’s just madness they have a frozen panel and are now recruiting again. Like I cannot see the sense in it . Hopefully it kicks back in for you guys soon .
Hi hope234 & saltydog87. Congratulations both on getting this far into the process & the very best of luck with interviews. I am currently one of the candidates sitting on the panel formed last November & due to the recruitment embargo our panel remains frozen unfortunately. At this point we have no way of telling if they will expire our panel in 5months or extend it and this will largely impact the panel currently being sifted & interviewed for. I can definitely advise you to go over the information you put on the 1st stage of the application, as this is what they will largely focus on. You need to be able to elaborate & answer questions on the scenarios you originally gave them as examples. Also it will be very helpful to research the current work & projects been undertaken by NAS. Learn as much as u can about the service, what initiatives they are undertaking to improve the service for communities etc.…A knowledge of CISM (critical incident stress management) may be no harm to have under your belt going into interview also. Hope this helps & very best of luck to all interview candidates.
no worries . I very much doubt they will do it over teams . Keep in mind the psychometric testing was supposed to be in person and they moved that online as an accommodation so I would say they will push the face to face for the interviews 🤔
thanks for clearing up a few things for me. Yes I also thought the cut off for documents was the 24th of June. It may have been extended for people who had to repeat the aptitude. (even though I had to repeat the aptitude and havnt got an email advising of an extended date)
I’d recommend the STAR method for the interviews .
Have they ever done interviews over Zoom or teams. From other chats I’ve read they have only been in person . I’m just wondering if there is even the slightest chance they could
Hi Chemicals,
Thanks for the info. I have a bit of info based on what I have read in other threads and what not but I have to stress take it with a fact check warning. Firstly however, God I actually thought the updated deadline for the sift was last week and then they were informing candidates this week? Can’t see them getting through all them submissions in less than a week. I don’t think it’s as easy as they tick the box for your qualification . I would imagine they have to try eliminate people at each round. Usually how these things work is something called a bell curve is established and they assign a value to a level of qualification. I could be totally wrong so if anyone knows better please feel free to speak up!
So the course is run in conjunction with UCC. There are 3 locations country wide. Courses start on a as needed basis by NAS but based on what I’ve read they typically start in a September and January . I haven’t seen anything that suggests a course is starting in cork this September. There is also definitely one panel live at the moment that would precede any panel that is formed from this recruitment. They need to clear that before they take from this upcoming recruitment . Personally I think chances lf one of us starting the course in 2024 are very slim. Again, and I stress this is personal mind set I feel like your possibly looking at a two year window from start of recruitment process ( which we are in now) to course placement .
I haven’t bothered getting too far ahead of myself ref interview practice. Just waiting to hear about eligibility swift first. I do know the interview is competency based and also takes in some of the detail we submitted for the question portion on stage 1. There was a section on the handbook they sent us at the start that went into detail on paramedic competencies. That might be a good place to start ?
Best of luck in it all
Hope we all hear something soon
Hey Guys
Hopefully we hear tomorrow about the interviews as deadline for submitting all additonal documents is Noon tomorrow 8TH JULY 2024.
Just wanted to see what you guys are trying to learn for the upcoming interviews and if anyone has any advice on how to prepare .
Anyone previously done the interviews that could provide any pointers?
Is the Cork student paramedic going to start this year?
How many people are still on the panel before us ?
Any other questions or answers is aprreicated
Thanks
