Mildura-based clinical expert marks 45 years

As he celebrates 45 years in the ambulance service, Ambulance Victoria (AV) Loddon Mallee Clinical Support Officer (CSO) Dale Richards says he loves going to work just as much as the day he started.

Dale began his career as an ambulance officer in Mildura in 1981, working through the ranks until landing his current role as a CSO in 2008.

CSOs are highly qualified on-road paramedics at AV. They are experienced Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics who provide expert in-field clinical leadership, support and education to paramedics and volunteers. CSOs also facilitate statewide clinical and operational education programs and undertake clinical audits for quality assurance and governance.

Dale said he never imagined how far his career in ambulance would take him.

“Reaching 45 years was nothing I set out to do, but it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long because the job has been so enjoyable and rewarding,” he said.

“Part of what’s led to my longevity is that I’ve always had the privilege of working with great people and I still do. It makes the job even better.”

Dale applied to join Mildura’s ambulance service on the recommendation of a friend who was already working as a local ambulance officer.

Over the coming decades, Dale grew passionate about pre-hospital care and spent time as an on-road ambulance officer, assistant station officer, MICA paramedic, team manager, Senior Operations Officer Clinical Support and finally, CSO.

Across his career, Dale has seen massive change across Victoria’s ambulance service.

“When we started, we were essentially advanced first aiders with a vehicle with stretchers. We didn’t have defibrillators or many medications, so it was more about taking patients to hospital and letting the doctors sort them out,” Dale said.

“Paramedicine has evolved so much for the better. Now we provide so much pre-hospital care – many of our skills are almost providing a mobile emergency department. Sometimes we can even relieve patients of their symptoms so that they can stay at home.

“It’s somewhere I never expected the job would get to when I started back in the ‘80s.”

Dale had a direct hand in some of the evolution of the profession, including supporting the introduction of the Advanced Life Support (ALS) standard of care, increased MICA coverage in rural Victoria and the introduction of a range of new equipment.

Many of these changes occurred while Dale was part of the clinical team of Rural Ambulance Victoria, before the amalgamation into the statewide Ambulance Victoria.

“That sticks out as my favourite time and my most rewarding time. We were inventing and integrating and involved in so much change,” he said.

After 45 years, Dale knows he’s nearing the end of his career. He’ll spend plenty of his remaining time in the profession passing on his skills, knowledge and wisdom to the next generation.

“My main advice to new paramedics would be to take every day as it comes, because your days vary significantly – you’ll go from being not too busy to being flat out, from delivering a baby to a cardiac arrest,” he said.

“And I would tell them that they’ve made a good choice because being a paramedic is a great job.”