Intermediate Care Paramedic Nicole McCutcheon has been working in the field for nearly two decades, providing emergency care across Portage la Prairie and its surrounding communities.
She began her career in the Gladstone and Sandy Bay areas before taking a position in Portage.
Over the years, her role often brings her to surrounding towns within about an hour’s radius.
Finding her path
While McCutcheon didn’t always know she would end up in emergency services, she says the decision came after some time to reflect following high school.
“I actually had no idea what I wanted to do in high school, so I took all the subjects I could to keep my options open,” she says. “I travelled for a year. I knew I wanted to be involved in something that felt meaningful and impactful…I thought I’ll go for it and see how it works.”
A job that’s real, raw and rewarding
The nature of the job means McCutcheon often sees people on their worst days. But through training, experience, and teamwork, she says she’s learned how to show up with a sense of calm and focus.
“We do a lot of training behind the scenes,” she explains. “So while we’re talking to that patient, things are chaos and critical, but we’re in our mind going back through our basics and seeing what we need to deal with in that moment.”
She continues, “We come at it with a partner alongside of us to try and hash out ideas with too, if we’re feeling a little stuck just within ourselves and we can do that critical thinking together as a team.”
Despite the challenges, McCutcheon says what keeps her going is the chance to make a meaningful difference in someone’s life.
“We get to have the opportunity to show up in people’s moments of crisis,” she says. “We’re kind of the face of hope, of reassurance, and we have the opportunity to provide, some life-saving measures and calm reassurance in other people’s moments of chaos and crisis.”
Celebrating Paramedic Services Week
This year, Paramedic Services Week ran from May 18 to 24, offering a moment to recognize the essential role paramedics play in health care.
Across Manitoba, paramedics like McCutcheon — along with other emergency response services (ERS) teams — are often the first link in someone’s medical journey. From answering a call for help to providing care on the way to hospital, they bring calm, skill, and expertise to situations that are often unpredictable and rapidly evolving.
Shared Health notes that ERS teams work across all health regions, often in partnership with other emergency providers. Their ability to adapt and respond to a wide range of situations is essential to providing high-quality care in communities large and small.
McCutcheon says it’s meaningful to take time to highlight the profession and those in it.
“It’s a great opportunity to remember and recognize,” she remarks. “Sometimes we’re the unsung hero of many of these moments. We don’t always share a lot about what we’re dealing with because…a lot of it is protected.”
She adds, “These people that are walking into these scenes are human beings, just like every one of us. And we deal with that trauma. We carry those things with us through the years ourselves as well.”
Advice for the next generation
For those considering the profession, McCutcheon is honest about the demands but also the deep fulfillment that comes with the work.
“It’s a very challenging and a very rewarding career,” she says. “We have the opportunity to see the impact of what we do in an immediate setting and that’s very fulfilling.”
She acknowledges the emotional toll that can come with the job but emphasizes the importance of finding support and staying connected.
“You get to be part of a broader team,” she explains. “You’ve got to dig into your purpose a little bit, figure out…your why and let it guide you through the hard days.”
McCutcheon continues, “Just remember that you’re a human being with those feelings, and if you’ve got seasons where it’s particularly challenging, then you’ve got to look for the resources for the help that you need.”
Staying close to home
Born and raised in Portage, McCutcheon says she never imagined she’d settle down in her hometown, but it’s where she plans to stay.
“My dad has been around Portage for many, years. He’s a familiar face to many and I grew up here,” she says. “I figured I would end up in far off countries because I spent many of my younger years travelling, and I never thought that Portage would be where I settled down, but I did and I’m here for the long term.”
Although no one in her immediate family works in EMS, she mentions one relative who has a similar calling.
“I do have an uncle who’s in the fire department here,” she says.
Reflecting again on the nature of her work, McCutcheon shares a thought that stuck with her from one of her superintendents.
“Lindsey Reimer… was recently interviewed as well, and I liked one of the things that she said,” McCutcheon says. “What we do is it’s raw and it’s real. And sometimes you’re exactly where you need to be, whether you’re scared or not.”
She adds, “It is such a unique opportunity to step into people’s worlds and be that calm to them in their moment of crisis. We are entrusted with some pretty difficult moments of people’s lives…and it’s pretty incredible to be a part of that on an ongoing basis.”