Clinical Practice Radio (CPR)
St John WA has launched its first ever public podcast, Clinical Practice Radio (CPR). Designed by clinicians for clinicians, the show discusses a range of clinical and management topics using the latest evidence-based research and inviting subject matter experts to share their insights. Hosted by St John WA Deputy Director of Paramedicine Andy Bell alongside Clinical Leads Megan Currie and Nick Overington.
Listen on:
Meet the hosts
Andy Bell:
Andy Bell is the first Deputy Director of Paramedicine for St John WA. Andy is a registered Paramedic, has held senior lecturer positions in several Australian universities and has formed and lead high performance clinical teams for TacMed Australia and The Royal Flying Doctors Service of WA.
He has published numerous articles on the development of the Paramedic education paradigm, is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Paramedicine, Editor on the Journal of High Threat and Austere Medicine, and an Adjunct Research Fellow with Curtin University.
Andy provides consultancy and sits on the teaching cadres for speciality medical training providers, Blacksmiths and Ragged Edge Solutions and in his spare time he loves lifting heavy barbells, walking his two dogs and drinking good coffee.
Meet the hosts continued
Megan Currie:
Megan Currie has more than nine years’ experience as a Paramedic at St John WA and currently works as a District Clinical Lead in the North West.
Passionate about clinical leadership, staff development, and mentoring, Megan has been actively involved in these areas throughout their career mentoring student paramedics and teaching in the College of Pre-Hospital Care, consistently supporting others in building clinical confidence and capability.
Megan has also worked across the South West and Great Southern regions of Western Australia, developing strong relationships within volunteer communities and contributing to ongoing education and training efforts.
Nick Overington:
Nick began his journey with St John WA as a cadet, progressing through volunteer roles in ambulance and Event Health Services before achieving his goal of becoming a Paramedic.
Over the past nine years, he has worked across metropolitan and rural settings in a variety of roles. Now serving as a Clinical Lead, Nick is passionate about all aspects of pre-hospital care. He has a strong interest in clinical leadership, mentoring, and supporting his colleagues to provide the best care possible.
Nick is committed to developing others and fostering a culture of clinical excellence which shapes his approach to leadership in the field.
Episodes
Episodes
Oct 29, 2025
Oct 29, 2025
32 min
In this episode, the team is joined by Jason Belcher, Resuscitation Improvement Specialist at St John WA, to explore what makes the biggest difference in surviving an Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA).
With a background in paramedicine, research and education, Jason’s work focuses on strengthening the entire chain of survival, from community recognition and bystander CPR through to high-performance resuscitation and clinical decision-making in the field.
Together, the team discusses the critical role of early recognition, the impact of community defibrillators and first responder apps, and why mastering the fundamentals of CPR remains the most powerful intervention for saving lives.
Whether you’re a student, volunteer, or experienced clinician, this episode offers practical, evidence-based insights to help you deliver the best possible outcomes for patients in cardiac arrest.
References:
Science of CPR with Peter Kudenchuk, MD
How likely is the patient to be in cardiac arrest? Caller breathing descriptors in ambulance calls that were dispatched as cardiac arrest - ScienceDirect
Lifesaving Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Pilot Evaluation of a Targeted Educational Intervention to Improve Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Provision in Volunteer Surf Lifesavers - Journal of Emergency Medicine
Neurological outcome in adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest – Not all doom and gloom! - ScienceDirect
Smartphone‐activated volunteer responders and survival to discharge after out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrests in Victoria, 2018–23: an observational cohort study - Delardes - 2025 - Medical Journal of Australia - Wiley Online Library
https://news.stjohnwa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/OHCA25_Annual-Report_Digital.pdf
Sep 24, 2025
Sep 24, 2025
31 min
In this episode, the team is joined by Greta Hammer, a Clinical Lead Paramedic, to unpack red flag ECG findings in syncope.
Greta has a special interest in cardiology and the nuances of ECGs, a passion that began during her years working under a cardiologist here in Perth, before transitioning to her career as a paramedic with St John WA. Since then, she has been involved in educating new paramedics and developing ECG tools tailored for the pre-hospital setting, all with the goal of enhancing clinical excellence in the field.
Together, the team explores key warning signs that shouldn’t be missed and shares practical tools to help identify potentially life-threatening conditions. Greta also introduces a simple mnemonic – “ABCDE Left Right” – designed to make recognising these findings easier in the field.
Whether you’re a student, volunteer, or seasoned clinician, this episode is full of valuable insights to elevate your patient care.
References:
EKG Library • LITFL • ECG Library Basics
ECG – ProductiveMedic