Connect

May 19-25, 2024 marks the 50^th anniversary of National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics provide lifesaving care across the nation and around the clock. In Northern Virginia, UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center has its own Ambulance Department, which opened a new office this month at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center in Manassas. In the latest installment of Connect's Hope at Work series, meet Erik Gould, AS, NREMT-P, Ambulance Operations Manager, UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center, and learn about his team's lifesaving care:

Giving Back

Erik grew up in a small village named Ilion in central New York's Mohawk Valley. He started out in EMS as an assistant/driver at the local volunteer Mohawk Valley Ambulance Corps. “I always believed giving back to your community is important and was looking for something new and exciting to do in my free time," Erik recalls. "One of my friends happened to be a member and talked me into joining."

Erik has been in EMS ever since — both as a volunteer as well as a paid professional. Erik first became an EMT, then a paramedic, then expanded his education to focus on specialty care transport services. He’s been a paramedic for two decades now, and in the EMS field for 22 years.

Compassion, Quick Thinking, and Dedication

"Working in EMS is extremely rewarding," Erik finds. "Each day, you meet new people, provide comfort for them and their families, and assist them in some of the most difficult times in each of their lives. Working as a paramedic means having the privilege of being there for people during some of their most challenging moments and being able to make a difference in their lives. Every interaction — including taking someone home after an evaluation or hospital stay — has meaning."

Erik says the role requires compassion, quick thinking, and dedication to helping others. "Most importantly, it's about being a part of a team that provides essential services to the people of the community by getting them to where they need to go while providing high quality care.”

'Courageous Individuals'

UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center Ambulance Department provides emergent and non-emergent transportation from there to other hospitals including to UVA Health University Medical Center in Charlottesville — and to homes for patients when medically necessitated. 

Erik's team starts each day by checking their assigned ambulance and ensuring they have all needed equipment — then conducting daily, regulatory checks on each ambulance and required cleaning chores before waiting to be assigned a transport. When a transport isn't pending, the team helps other departments in the hospital with required tasks as assigned by the nursing supervisor. 

“I'm immensely grateful to collaborate with these courageous individuals who've devoted their careers and lives to aiding others," hails Donna Staton, Chief Operating Officer, UVA Community Health. "They strive for continuous enhancement of their community care while fostering equity and inclusion within the communities they serve."

Ever Growing

Supporting all three of our UVA Health strategic plan initiatives of cultivating healthy communities; strengthening our foundation through modernizing our operations to make it easier for our patients; and expanding our excellence — Erik is excited to announce UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center is expanding services to UVA Health Prince William Medical Center. All ambulances also have been outfitted with state-of-the-art, Stryker Power Load systems to help team members with their lifting requirements, and with new, Zoll X monitors/defibrillators.

And his team is hiring and training more staff to support the ever-growing transport needs of our healthcare system. 

Erik's biggest challenge: finding qualified team members, since being an EMT or a paramedic requires specific, state-regulated certifications and training that require many hours not only to achieve — but also to maintain. “Unfortunately, there's a national shortage of qualified EMTs and paramedics, and that can affect our ability to staff the number of ambulances per day that we would like to,” he explains.

Part of retention is recognition. The department celebrates team members' achievements and patient milestones year-round. And during National EMS Week, with special events. This year, the National EMS Week theme is "Honoring Our Past, Forging Our Future."

Highest Level of Medical Services

Why do these first responders risk their lives? “Working at UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center allows our team to play an active role in the health and wellness of the community and contribute to ensuring each patient is able to be transported and receives the highest level of medical services throughout our entire healthcare system,” Erik answers.

And their own well-being matters. “Our team members handle daily career stress in different ways — from going on hikes, working out — to being with family and friends. Personally, I enjoy fishing and spending time with my two children and two labrador retrievers," he smiles.