Glen Marais paramedic gets the job done
"We all have chosen this profession for different reasons. However, the main objective is to always assist our patient first. There is no room for sexism in our field."
She embodies the strength of a woman and as a paramedic never seeks to compare herself to others, but rather just showcase her capabilities through her work.
Glen Marais resident Riette du Plessis (32) explained her role as paramedic, working at the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic and especially in the wake of Women’s Month.
“As a proud, independent and strong woman in my own right, I am flipping the script and would say I am better equipped to fulfill my role as a female paramedic uniquely. I will not draw a comparison to any male counterpart in this profession.”
She explained women are well represented in the profession and her shift partners solely comprise of women.
“With everything in life, every one of us have experienced challenges in our different professions, whether being a female or male. At the end of the day, my passion for my work supersedes any challenges I face.”
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On that note, what does a day in the life of Riette look like?
“We work shifts, so at times we see our family seldom and miss out on big events like birthdays, public holidays, Easter, Christmas or New Year.
“I think all of us are accustomed to shifts. We work 12 hour shifts so sometimes it can get very busy and other times it can be quieter.”
She tried elaborating on one incident in the profession that was the most touching, but she explained that ultimately her first and foremost priority is to assist and help the patient to the best of her ability.
“As one can only imagine in my profession, we see a lot of different scenarios and every incident has an impact on me.
“We all have chosen this profession for different reasons. However, the main objective is to always assist our patient first. There is no room for sexism in our field,” she said firmly.
Has the role of a paramedic empowered her sense of womanhood, or has her womanhood empowered her role as a paramedic?
“I would definitely say that my womanhood has empowered my paramedic skills. Women are naturally equipped with showing empathy and nurturing in harsh situations.”
Since the alcohol ban is a major topic aligned with medical-related arguments, Riette explained her views in the time of Covid-19.
“It has definitely had a huge impact on our services. There are two sides to the coin. Our calls definitely increased after the ban was lifted due to irresponsible drinking.
“The public needs to understand that our emergency department and hospitals are not running at normal capacity to assist, which minimises our resources in getting patients to hospitals with life-threatening emergencies.”
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