Extreme Medics — Profile: Who is paramedic Caitlin Little

28-year-old Caitlin Little is a paramedic in Alice Springs. She’ll be fully qualified by September but she already been honoured with the Northern Territory Paramedic of the Year award in 2017. She admits she only wanted to stay in the Territory for six months … that was four years ago.

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Caitlin Little, who will be a fully qualified Intense Care Paramedic by September, has worked in Alice for four years.

She was named the 2017 Northern Territory Paramedic of the Year.

Prior to that Caitlin, 28, was a paramedic in Victoria but always wanted to “work remote”.

“I planned to come to the Northern Territory for six to 12 months but really liked the work,” she said.

“Being remote and resource-depleted presents amazing challenges and I like having to be resourceful.”

Paramedic Caitlin Little, from Victoria, has worked in Alice Springs for four years. Picture: Australian Catholic University

One of Caitlin’s passion is getting out and about in Alice Springs with her dog. Picture: Australian Catholic University

During this phase of her training she works alongside Paul Reeves, taking the lead on most jobs, under his supervision.

“As an ICP supervisor I want to give Caitlin as much support but again remembering that she’s not junior. She’s a senior medic,” Paul said.

Soon she will respond to jobs without him but will call him for advice when required.

“I don’t feel nervous or even apprehensive,” she added.

“I’m well supported and I know that even if Paul’s on days off and I do have a difficult job that I want to talk over I can always debrief with him and hopefully he won’t screen my calls.”

Caitlin, who is completing her Masters in advanced paramedicine, also works in the Alice Springs Emergency Department as a registered nurse on her days off from St John’s.

Caitlin also works as a registered nurse in Alice Springs Hospital. Picture: Australian Catholic University

“Those jobs really complement each other,” she said.

“Where we handed over that patient tonight into resus 1, that’s where I mainly work in that bay,” she said.

“So I get the high acuity patients in there and I would be doing exactly the same thing as what they were doing but in their uniform so assisting with the airway, assisting with the ventilators.

“When I know the patient’s trajectory from working in ED I can predict which way it’s going to go and follow it up.”

Caitlin only planned to stay in Alice Springs for a few months, now it’s very much home for the 28-year-old. Picture: Australian Catholic University

Caitlin, whose partner is an Alice Springs detective, said she aspired to be like her mentor.

“I want to be a reflection of Paul,” she revealed.

“If I can put in as much effort as he does and utilise my down time and days off and things like that hopefully one day, I’ll be like that so that’s my motivation.”

At just 28, Caitlin is highly respected by her peers.

“I have put in a lot of study and I’ve done a lot of work trying to better myself,” she said.

“This is a career where you get out what you put in.

“I want to be that person that other paramedics know that they can call and rely on me if anything to reassure them and help them.”