A Day in the Life of a Paramedic: Nick Adkins

Paramedics are an essential part of the emergency team at Perham Area EMS and are usually the first people on the scene in an emergency. As paramedics, we do a combination of 911 calls and hospital-to-hospital transfers.

What’s a typical day like?

We work 12-hour shifts—7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. My regular schedule is every Tuesday and Wednesday night, and then I work a 48-hour shift every other weekend. When I arrive, we usually chat with the outgoing crew. If they’ve already left, we check the message board for updates, like equipment that needs restocking or anything unusual from earlier calls. Then we do our truck checks: go through the checklist, make sure the rig has fuel, the gear is in place, and we have all the supplies we might need—from medications to trauma kits to oxygen tubing.

If the day is quiet, we clean up the station and the ambulance. Sometimes we talk through recent calls, share how we handled different situations, or catch up on training and new protocols.

A typical call might involve chest pain, which is a common symptom. As a paramedic, I usually take the lead on calls, but my EMT partner and I work closely together.

I’ll ask the patient when the pain started, where it is, whether it radiates, things like that. We check vitals, listen to lung sounds, and run an EKG. If the EKG shows signs of a heart attack, we’ll administer medications like aspirin or nitroglycerin and manage pain if needed.

During transport, I’m in the back with the patient. I’ll start an IV, give fluids, and try to keep the patient calm. I like to explain what’s happening or prepare them for what’s next, like if they need to be transferred by helicopter to a higher care facility. The human side of this job is just as important as medical skills. We meet people in some of their worst moments and are the light in their bad times. If I can make someone smile during a crisis, that’s awesome.

After handing off the patient to the emergency department team, we clean the rig, restock supplies, and document everything. Paperwork is a big part of the job. A straightforward call might take 20 minutes to write up, but more complex situations can take much longer. Some days, you’re five calls deep before starting your first report.

What I like about being a paramedic.

I’ve been lucky to work with some incredible folks at Perham Area. We’re a tight-knit crew that leans on each other a lot. When you spend 12 or 48 hours with the same people, they become like family.

No two days are ever the same. That unpredictability is one of the reasons I love this job—you never know what kind of situation you’re going to encounter.

One of the great things about this job is the flexibility. My wife and I have been able to juggle shifts so we don’t need daycare. It’s a challenging career, but it works for our family.

What makes the job challenging?

It’s not always easy. The calls can be emotionally intense. Early in my career, I responded to a fatal car accident. The lead medical person on the scene handled everything calmly and clearly. That moment stuck with me. I thought, that’s who I want to be in a crisis—calm, collected, in control. That’s how I try to approach every call now.

There’s also the toll it takes on your personal life. I’ve got a two-year-old at home, and flipping between day and night shifts while trying to be present as a dad can be challenging.

Thankfully, EMS and Perham Health offer support. We’ve got access to mental health resources, and I’ve got the support of my coworkers. We talk things out. I believe it’s okay to cry and feel it, but then you must pick yourself back up. I also monitor my coworkers—if someone seems off, I’ll check in.

How I got interested in being a paramedic.

My path to becoming a paramedic wasn’t planned. I was working at Dairy Queen in high school, and whenever an ambulance went by with lights and sirens, I’d wonder what was happening. That curiosity stuck with me. I started thinking I would be a fireman, but after some trial and error, I ended up in the paramedic program. That’s when things just clicked for me.

Advice for someone interested in being a paramedic.

If you like something different every day and like to take care of people and be the light in their day, this would be a promising career for you. It’s a good job for people in school because there is downtime to get their homework done, and it’s a great experience.

If there’s one thing I want people to know about this job, we’re more than lights and sirens. We’re problem-solvers, caregivers, and sometimes just someone to hold a hand when everything feels like it is falling apart. It’s challenging, unpredictable, and incredibly rewarding—and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.