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Anika Piatek

Paramedic Anika joined NEAS as part of an international paramedic recruitment drive five years ago. Having worked all over the world in a caregiving capacity, she has now made the North East her home, and is based at Blucher station, which she says is “the best station in North division!”

Q. What attracted you to the job?

A. I always wanted to be a medical professional since I was child. Critical care and life-threatening conditions became very fascinating for me and that attracted me to become a paramedic. 

Q. What brings you to work every day?

A. The fact that every day you meet new people and each new shift brings new challenges makes it worth waking up very early!

Q. What is an average shift like?

A. An average shift is a few patients with chronic conditions, elderly falls and some minor injuries with a few poorly patients who need to be pre-alerted into hospital in-between.

Q. What skills do you think people need to be able to do your job?

A. I think the biggest skill in this job is the ability to communicate with other people. You have to listen to your patients, their family members, your partner and other staff in hospital. You also need compassion and the ability to make fast decisions and read the symptoms and anticipate what next.

Q. How do you feel about being part of the BBC Ambulance show?

A. The privilege of being fimed while I am doing what I like was amazing! It was probably a once in a lifetime experience and will always be one of the nicest memories. I was maybe a bit insecure as a ‘foreigner’ but it helped me feel better and appreciate my colleagues that I shared the experience with.

There was lots of laughter and the best banter!

Q. What do you love about the North East?

A. The people. I still remember how I was struggling in the beginning of my career with the Geordie accent and slang. I felt like my teachers at school cheated and I wasn’t really learning English, because here nobody speaks my English!