Working Life: Michelle Murray, Emergency Medical Controller

’Once the problem is diagnosed, we talk the caller through a specific set of instructions until the ambulance arrives.'

7am

I work five different shifts over seven weeks. If I’m on at 7am, I’m up at 6am, and at my desk in Wexford General an hour later. My first task is to do radio checks with the crews, so that I know who is available for emergencies. The remaining ambulances are pre-allocated for long-distance transfers — bringing patients to hospitals outside the region. There are 11 ambulance bases in the south-east, covering Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny.

9am

Depending on my shift, I dispatch ambulances to either Wexford and Tipperary or Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford. All 999 calls come through an operator and we verify the number with the caller. Once the problem is diagnosed, we talk the caller through a set of instructions until the ambulance arrives. These instructions are computer-generated by a programme known as ‘medical priority dispatch’.

12pm

I take a 40-minute break, after which I switch roles with a colleague, who takes over the dispatch work while I take over as call-taker and plan the long-distance work for the next day.

2pm

When a 999 call comes in, it’s important to stay calm. If it’s a cardiac arrest, you need to talk the caller through CPR. You have to have first responder training in this job, which is like an advanced form of first aid. There’s a huge amount of adrenalin involved. I have talked three callers — two dads and a sister-in-law — through childbirth while they waited for an ambulance. Thankfully, the outcomes were good.

5pm

This time of year, we get GPs and nursing homes requesting ambulances for elderly patients who have fractures or respiratory problems. At Halloween, there were lots of calls related to anaphylactic shock — kids and peanuts. Unfortunately, there has also been an increase in calls related to suicide and attempted suicide. Gardaí must be notified of a death, as well as the person’s GP. If it’s a road- traffic accident, the fire service may be alerted.

7pm

I walk home to clear the head. Some days, I shower, eat and go to bed. My family — hubby, stepson and daughter — are fab, always there for me.