A day before her due date, Denise Ryan had a birth plan ready, her midwife on-call and, as a midwife herself, she knew what would happen next.
Until she didn’t.
Unexpected pain tugged at the thread of her meticulous planning, causing everything to start unravelling.
Denise’s severe contractions were all-encompassing, rippling through her core and searing down her spine.
“Everything happened really quickly,” she said.
“Usually, when it’s your first baby, you don’t go that quick.”
The feeling of a foot whipped her into hysteria after discovering her baby was in a ‘footling breech’ position, with the feet presenting first instead of the head, following a self-examination.
As Denise tried to remember to breathe, her partner, Justin Ryan, called Ambulance Victoria.
Their baby’s life now depended on the care of the paramedics.
Paramedics Ally Bild and Justin Hall knew they had little time due to the high risks of footling breech births.
“The anxiety was palpable, and we knew we had to get Denise to hospital as soon as we could,” Ally said.
Denise’s pain peaked, but the panic subsided as the paramedics’ constant communication and calm demeanour gave her a sense of safety.
“They explained why we needed to get to the closest hospital,” Denise said.
“I knew they were trying to do the best thing for myself and baby ... and had our best interests at heart.”
Upon arrival at Sandringham Hospital, everyone — the expectant mother, the nervous father, medical staff and paramedics Ally and Justin — proceeded into the delivery room together.
Within minutes, another person arrived: Alfie.
“All of us took a sigh of relief,” Denise said.
“It made me feel quite important and special that they stayed around and saw Alfie come out okay.
“We’re so thankful both Alfie and I are happy and healthy, and it’s due to the efforts of all the healthcare workers involved.”
Denise called them “lifesavers”, a sentiment shared by many Victorians who have needed the services of AV.
According to the latest national survey by the Council of Ambulance Authorities, 97 per cent of patients expressed satisfaction with the care provided by AV’s paramedics and first responders.
“Overall, patient satisfaction has remained at 97 per cent or above for the past nine years,” AV acting chief executive Anthony Carlyon said.
“These results reflect our commitment to excellence and exemplify the outstanding care our crews provide each day.
“All credit goes to our people across the state who work together to ensure patients are well looked after.”
Additional findings from the survey revealed that 64 per cent of patients said AV response times were quicker than expected.
There was near-unanimous approval for AV’s clear explanations of the medical condition and treatment reasons, as well as the comfort of the ambulance ride.
To access the full 2024 CAA Patient Experience Survey report, visit caa.net.au/patient-experience-survey