July 2020 - Ballito Umhlanga

ADVANCED LIFE
SUPPORT PARAMEDIC
JANUS VAN SCHALKWYK
Self-confessed ocean addict and
advanced life support paramedic,
Janus van Schalkwyk is currently the
clinical governance manager for IPSS
Medical Rescue as well as the Cardiac
and Stroke Network manager for
Lenmed Ethekwini Hospital and Heart
Centre. The 34-year-old qualified as a
lifeguard at the age of 17 and was a
working as a rescue swimmer on the
old John Rolf Surf Rescue helicopter
by the time he was 19 years old.
“It was during this time that I met
several paramedics who exposed
me to pre-hospital emergency care.
I was completely hooked from the
first day I worked as a volunteer on
an ambulance.” Janus has a bachelor’s
degree in emergency medical care
and has worked on both land based
and offshore oil rigs across several
African countries. He is currently
completing his Master’s degree in
Emergency Medicine.
Tell us about how your job has
evolved over the past three months
as a frontline emergency worker
during the pandemic.
Pre-COVID-19 I spent a lot of time
going out to communities, doctors,
retirement homes and even other
paramedical services conducting
training and education talks on
identifying risk factors, signs and
symptoms and available interventions
for cardiac diseases and strokes. Over
the last four months, our primary
focus has shifted towards preparing
our staff, our road and aero-medical
operations, and our support services
for the pandemic. Unlike most other
industries that focus on preventing
their employees from coming into
contact with suspected COVID-19
patients, our employees will be
required to treat and manage both
high risk and confirmed COVID-19
patients. Patient safety and the health
of our staff is our primary concern.
We have had to change the way we
operate our services on a daily basis
without compromising patient care.
Everyone knows how uncomfortable
masks are and how difficult they are
IPSS advanced life support
paramedic Janus van Schalkwyk
We have had to change the way we
operate our services on a daily basis
without compromising patient care.
to breath in. Now imagine carrying a heavy patient out of a forest or doing CPR
for 40 minutes while wearing the mask. How do you explain to a patient that
has sustained multiple fractures that they have to wear a mask? These are just
some of the challenges we face daily and that we have had to adapt to.
How are you are coping on both a professional and personal level in the
midst of this pandemic? I have been in this industry for a long time. The
nature of the industry requires you to put yourself in very stressful and difficult
situations. Coping with the stress is challenging initially but the more senior
crews will always be there to debrief, talk to and support junior crews. We have
developed our own coping mechanisms over time, and must use them now
more than ever. Having a partner who understands the industry makes a big
difference as the stress does place a large burden on your relationship.
What are some of the most common misconceptions people have about
the work you do? A common misconception that many people still have
about paramedics is that they are just ambulance drivers. In developed
countries, patients are quickly loaded into an ambulance and rushed off to
a nearby hospital to an awaiting team of specialists. In South Africa, access
to healthcare is in ongoing challenge. Patients that are critically ill or injured
often have to be transported for prolonged periods of time before arriving at
a hospital that is able to provide definitive care. This means that paramedics
sometimes spend hours treating patients before arriving at hospital. Out
of necessity, South Africa has developed an extensive tertiary paramedical
program to deal with this challenge. We now have access to advanced life
support paramedics that can offer the same level of care, medications and
equipment in the pre-hospital environment as what you would see in an
emergency department at most hospitals.
July 2020 Get It • Ballito Umhlanga 15