What does a…If you look at our job landscape, you will see special functions. A field service engineer, a lab technician or an assembly worker: we obviously need them badly, but for what and why? In this series, someone talks about his or her profession every week. Today: Scott Ruff (23), HAP driver of care organization White Cross.
What exactly do you do?
“If people need medical help in the evening, at night or at the weekend that cannot wait until the next day and is not acute, they can call the general practitioner (HAP) post. This can be, for example, a suture wound or kidney stones. If they are unable to come to the HAP due to too much pain or immobility, a GP will be consulted. I will then drive him or her there.”
You are a driver but not an ambulance driver, what about that?
“We are not concerned with very acute care like the ambulance services, but with emergency care. And we are not driving an ambulance van, but a passenger car that looks like an ambulance. But if they need us at the ambulance service because of crowds, we will be called so that we can support the ambulance staff. I’ve been through that several times.”
All fines we receive can be dropped. For this we have to keep our administration up to date
Do you have to obey the traffic rules with this car?
,,The doctor can choose to drive urgently if we have to be on site as quickly as possible. We will then pass this on to the control room, so that all fines we receive can be dismissed. To do this, we have to keep our records up to date.”
So there is a lot to consider.
,,That’s right, I don’t think people always realize that. And I also go inside on home visits, to support the general practitioner in placing a catheter or suturing a wound, for example.”
Do you need medical training for that?
“No, not necessarily. A first aid and CPR certificate. And we receive a repeat course from the White Cross every year. You do need to undergo training for emergency driving. You will then learn how to control your vehicle. And you learn to estimate and anticipate hazards on the road. Because if you drive with flashing lights and siren on, people can startle and suddenly take a crazy action.”
What do you like most about your job?
“The total package. I really enjoy driving, but also patient care. People need you and together with the team you ensure that you can provide the right help. I have been doing this job for 2.5 years now and still go home with satisfaction and never begrudgingly return to work. There are days when it is very quiet, which is less. The wait can then be long. But sometimes we can help the GP at the HAP or do some administrative or household tasks.”
And what about the stress?
“You never know what you’re going to do during a shift or where you’re going. That’s what I like about my job. Sometimes more acute situations arise, then it is important that you do not make mistakes. But I don’t have much stress. In a life-threatening situation, the adrenaline goes up a bit, but you get used to it in the long run.”
I don’t suffer much from stress. In a life-threatening situation the adrenaline goes up a bit, but you get used to it in the long run
Which situation do you remember the most?
“That’s not the CPR or the accidents, you’re too busy to think about it. Coming home to someone who is seriously and terminally ill and who has not yet made the most of life always impresses me a lot. You become aware of the transience of life. We sometimes also come into a neglected house with older lonely people. Then you think to yourself: I don’t want to grow old like that.”
Do you think you will still be doing this work in ten years?
“I would like to progress to the ambulance service. Then you often end up in more acute situations and I like a challenge. And now I work evenings, nights and weekends. I think it would be nice to also work during the day, then I can better combine it with home. In addition, the salary of HAP drivers is not a fat pot. This is because we are covered by the taxi collective agreement. Quite crooked, we drive a car just like a taxi driver, but we do so much more than just driving. That’s what makes the job so much fun.”
Looking for medical assistants
Want to become a colleague of Scott? It White Cross has a number of vacancies, including for the position of ambulance nurse and nurse operator.
Or are you looking for another supportive job in healthcare? For example, you can work as an administrative assistant, but also as a medical coordinator, planner or vaccination nurse. At National Vacancy Bank you will find all relevant vacancies in this field.
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