Photo by Michael Marston - Department of Emergency Services ...

Make-up a serious business for Nicky
Student paramedic Nicky Tibbles
isn’t just learning how to treat
serious wounds – she’s also creating
them. Well, sort of.
Constructing fake chemical burns, leg
fractures, bones sticking out of limbs
and lashings of congealed blood are
all part of her day’s work.
That’s because Nicky looks after the
make-up during training scenarios
to help create realistic situations for
emergency workers.
Nicky was working in office support for
the Queensland Combined Emergency
Services Academy (QCESA) at Lutwyche
when the call went out for volunteers
to do make-up for student paramedics’
training scenarios.
Nicky jumped at the chance.
“Another secretary and I put our hand
up and we were sent on a one-day
course,” she said.
“That was back in 1999 and since then
have we taught ourselves the rest.
“I started doing all the road rescue
competitions in Queensland and this is
my fourth year doing make-up for the
Mines Rescue Challenge at Mt Isa.
“Through QCESA, my colleague Tanya
Pepper does makeup for Intensive Care
Paramedics when they’re training.
“We decided there was a big need for
it and as a student paramedic myself
now, I think it is really important to have
that sense of reality when participating
in these training sessions.
“Previously, student paramedics were
doing scenarios and using dummies or
actors, but once you apply make-up it’s
closer to what you see out in the field.”
Nicky said their unique service
could also benefit businesses
outside DES.
“We did the make-up for a small
company on North Stradbroke Island
and they said they never had people
so excited to do first aid and it was
because of the realness it added having
the make-up to make it interesting,”
she said.
“The employees loved it and they got
more involved because they can see it
and it’s fun so we will focus on trying
companies outside of DES next year.
“It works both ways – it enables the
actor to get into the role a lot more and
then is beneficial for students so they
can see straight away what the patient
is like.
“Instead of trainer instructing the
paramedic, the paramedic can see for
themselves and make determination
on patient care.
Nicky Tibbles works her magic.
“We do the Road Accident Rescue
championships around Queensland
– regional, State and national – we do
the five competitions each year.
“For something like that it usually takes
six ‘patients’ rotated throughout the
day and takes about an hour to set up.
Between Tanya and I the most patients
we’ve done is 24 people in a two-hour
time frame.
“We also do make-up for USAR (Urban
Search and Rescue) at QCESA Whyte
Island – they usually do three or four
exercises a year.
1 EMERGENCY October 2006 www.emergency.qld.gov.au