Being a young nurse working as a trainee ambulance clinician is not an easy job but most of the ambulance officers and clinicians at St. John’s Ambulance have a special kind of passion for the job. “It’s a different kind of feeling, having to help others. We’ve been really hands-on in the whole operation and it’s really good, I’m enjoying it.” Ruth Keslelrea is 27-year-old nurse attached with the St. John’s Ambulance in Lae, Morobe Province. From a mixed parentage of East New Britain, Morobe and East Sepik Province, Ruth is married with two beautiful children. She graduated from Lae School of Nursing in 2018 and joined the Lae International Hospital team as a Junior Nurse from 2019-2021. Later that year she joined Paradise Foods limited and worked as an assistant nurse at the company clinic on a 6month contract. In 2023 she joined the St. John’s Ambulance team as an ambulance reservist officer given her background in nursing. “I first joined St. John’s as an ambulance reservist officer earlier this year and when the vacancy positions came out, I applied, and I got accepted so here I am doing my training course.” “I have always wanted to be a doctor, but then situation did not allow but then being a nurse and helping people is close to what a doctor does so that’s good.” In an interview with PNG HAUSBUNG, Ruth spoke of how the ride along experience here in Port Moresby was similar to what they did in Lae and how she was excited and grateful for the opportunity to be in the St. John Ambulance Clinician Training Program and hopes that this will help her work towards her dream of being a mid-wife as it is something that she is working towards in the future. “I got my trainees certificate and my proud of myself for being able to be competent and getting this far and I’m looking forward to completing my training course.” “After my training course, I go back to work in the St. John’s Sub-station in Lae.” Keslelrea stated that her experience working with St. John’s has given her the confidence to deal with emergencies head on as compared to when she was working in the hospital. “I was always anxious and nervous working in the ER because you never know what state of emergency the patient would be in and you would be assigned to specific cases at a time whereas now it’s any case, from babies all the way to the seniors.” “Since I joined St. John Ambulance, I have faced the challenge head on, and I am not scared to handle emergency cases anymore and it feels exhilarating.” “Also, because when in an ambulance, you get to go everywhere to help people. In the emergency ward-you wait for patients to come to you, but with St. John’s, you go to the patient in times of emergencies.” With five years of nursing experience under her belt she further mentioned that it was very exciting working with an ambulance service. “Because you are first at the scene –when I first started, I panicked because of the change of setting in the work environment but as time went on, I got used to it and it has been a fun learning experience.” Ruth further mentioned that her husband was also attached with St. John’s Ambulance and had inspired her to join because of the top-notch emergency training and first aid skills that were taught there. Meanwhile she added that her career has not only seen her helping others but her family as well seeing as she is the nurse in the family and helping others plus the people you love is a blessing and is satisfying and she was grateful to be a part and parcel of the ‘Green Angels’. “Being a nurse has helped my family a lot, especially my mum who was is a diabetic with hypertension patient.” “St. John Ambulance is a great organization, and I would like to encourage others in the field to join as well. I’m grateful for this experience and to be a part of this amazing organization.”