By introducing two-person teams, it was possible to increase the number of doctors on duty every day

Ivy has been a physician’s assistant in the Emergency Department for ten years. For her, work in the brigade, which consists of only two people – a doctor and a manager – began with a pilot project five years ago.

The formation of two-person brigades has allowed to increase the number of daily working crews and to open new posts in the regions as well.

Aija Bankevics

Physician assistant

The first time we were told that we would have to work in pairs, we thought, how is it? We are all used to working in threes. How will it be then, how can we? How do we work in pairs, what can the OMT leader help us with? How much can he help? Accordingly, the physician assistant as team leader has the greatest responsibility.

Ivija is on duty at the Jaunjelgava service point together with the driver. It could have been created a few years ago as more and more medical teams were qualified to work in pairs.

“We stay alone and cover the entire district. And if a high-priority call comes in, we’re already there to help. And accordingly, we are already starting to provide assistance in this situation until the arrival of the next brigades,” adds Bankevica.

The driver must also go through a training program during which he must not only familiarize himself with all the equipment and medications in the vehicle, but also know where to find them. Only in this way can the brigade function as a well-oiled machine.

The walkie-talkie is on all the time – this way Ivy knows which brigade from neighboring towns to call for help if the need arises. She remembers that once they were the first to go to a collision between two cars – a high-priority call.

Ivy admits that working alone, she feels an even greater sense of responsibility.

Out of a total of 196 emergency aid teams in Latvia, around 30 are ready to go to calls in pairs every day. Also in Jēkabpils, doctor’s assistant Ekaterina and car driver, who is also a medical person, Evita, have recently started working together in this way.

Ekaterina Smulko

Doctor’s assistant

We wanted it very much and we achieved it, but in order to get into a brigade of such a profile, we had to take a safe driving course, go to Daugavpils to volunteer, and then take a test. We fulfilled everything and we are very happy to work in such a team.

Working in pairs is completely different, however, this way you can also cope with any kind of call, because there is always an opportunity to call someone for help, the women say.

There are many women working in the service, however, a two-person team usually consists of a woman and a man. Jēkabpils is one of the rare places where there is a team of two medical personnel – women.

Evita Shved

Operative medical transport manager, medical person

The only thing was, when we pulled up to the call, a man greeted us. When he saw two women sitting there, I think he forgot why he called us.

Ekaterina and Evita believe that two-person teams are an important step in providing quality assistance, as the service receives around a thousand calls every day.

Thanks to the two-person brigades, in the last five years, the Emergency Medical Assistance Service has been able to open ten new brigade points in those places in Latvia where it was not possible to do this before due to a lack of personnel.

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