Anxiety disorder & working in healthcare

Nurses General Nursing

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A friend of mine at university is studying to become a Paramedic (off topic in here perhaps) and qualifies in just over a year. However he thinks he has a undiagnosed Social Anxiety Disorder of some form. He is often cancelling seeing friends or girlfriends because he feels too self conscious about his appearance to go out sometimes and is often incredibly nervous in public situations.

Would this prevent him from being a paramedic if it were indeed diagnosed?

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Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.

So your friend has absolutely NO EMS experience and he is going to be a paramedic???? No one should becme a paramedic without E.M.T.-basic experience first, as it is dangerous!!! Your friend needs to enroll in a basic emt program to learn the ropes especially when it comes to learning who is really sick and who is not (assessment) before he even thinks about becomming a paramedic!! Just the oppinion of a paramedic (and nursing student).

Sweetooth

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Specializes in cardiac.

Maybe your friend needs to go see his doc and discuss this with him? They have medication for this and most people with disorder can function normally with a little help from medicine. As long as it's controlled, I don't see why it would inhibit him becoming a paramedic.

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Maybe your friend needs to go see his doc and discuss this with him? They have medication for this and most people with disorder can function normally with a little help from medicine. As long as it's controlled, I don't see why it would inhibit him becoming a paramedic.

I agree with that statement completely. There are a lot of medications and maybe even mental therapy of some sort that could help him overcome this. But I don't see why it would force him to not pursue his goal if it's controlled.

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Okay cheers i'll pas it on :)

And swtooth, it is a new thing that came in roughly 4 years ago, a 2 year (soon to be 3) degree in paramedic science with around 2000 hours placement with emergency ambulance crews. Granted 2 years seems a little bit short, but it leads to a job with the NHS and is recognised by the Health Professions Council that regulate the job.

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