6: James Mikucki

Paramedic, Northern Berks Emergency Medical Service

Paramedics need to be prepared for the worst. This was especially true during the pandemic according to James Mikucki. Demand for EMTs increased greatly during the pandemic. Not only did the hours of work increase, so, too, but also did the level of stress. 

Strict covid guidelines were employed but James says it was still very difficult to discern whether or not patients had covid. He was very grateful for his chief manager who planned ahead and purchased PPE for his teams very early, supporting his team in any way he could.

Unlike ordinary times, James explained that his team was not allowed to intubate patients with covid or use CPaps for support. This was extremely difficult for James. Due to the fact that covid spreads in the air, the team was restricted from using nebulizers for covid patients. He explained that he felt very helpless in the face of this illness. Like many health care workers, James was frustrated and upset when he couldn’t ease the pain and discomfort of his patients.

James described that parades through various assisted living facilities and nursing homes gave his team a much-needed morale boost. Unfortunately, James did contract covid and missed a significant amount of work. He returned to work when healthy again. During the time he was unable to work, he felt supported by his chief and his teammates. James, like other EMTs, endured physical and emotional stress during the pandemic that has had a significant effect on his outlook. He describes how his level of compassion for his patients increased greatly as a result of his experiences.