Paramedic reflects on Nepal medical trek

WHEN Hayley Hausfeld signed up as a paramedic she could never have imagined that one day she would be using her skills in remote villages high in the mountains of Nepal.

Hayley revisited her experience as guest speaker at Gunnedah Evening VIEW Club’s July dinner meeting, showing a variety of colourful slides of not only the magnificent scenery but also the medical clinics and the hardy people who live there.

During the eight days of the medical trek, the group walked four days and visited four medical clinics, treating 400 patents.

Hayley Hausfeld shared images of her time in Nepal with the Gunnedah Times.

The fully escorted group included seven Australians, made up of four paramedics and three non-medical personnel, two Nepalese doctors and two nurses, and 10 support team members, including a guide, porters and a cooking team.

“The main health problems treated were joint pain, blood pressure issues, diabetes, medications, children’s health, and eye problems such as terigiums and cataracts and respiratory issues,” Hayley said.

“Another big problem up there is vitamin D deficiency due to lack of sunlight on the skin as they wear clothes that cover most of their bodies, plus their diet is lacking in such a remote area.

Hayley Hausfeld shared images of her time in Nepal with the Gunnedah Times.

“The clinics are welcomed by the people because they don’t get much medical care.”

Hayley also shared her experience in becoming a paramedic and how much their role has changed in the community.

“Being a paramedic gives me a real sense of community; I love working with people I know and seeing familiar faces and being part of such a great team,” she said.

Hayley Hausfeld shared images of her time in Nepal with the Gunnedah Times.

“When I first started at Gunnedah, we had eight staff members and now that we have a 24-hour station, we have 24 paramedics.”

Duties include transporting patients between hospitals, attending trauma cases and dealing with mental health patients.

“We are often first on the scene for medical events such as strokes and the ambulances are fully equipped to start treating patients during transport to hospital,” Hayley said.

Hayley Hausfeld shared images of her time in Nepal with the Gunnedah Times.

“We also work with older people at home and in the nursing home, and it is reassuring for them to see a familiar face – it’s a good system of community care trying to keep people in their own homes as long as possible.”

Hayley has seen many changes over the past 20 years – while she did her training on the job with senior paramedics, today the career requires a university degree.

Hayley Hausfeld shared images of her time in Nepal with the Gunnedah Times.

“Our care can now extend to pain relief, thrombosis, medications, and mental health,” she said. “With the modern new vehicles now fitted with defibrillators and monitors, the patient starts receiving treatment immediately. The stretchers have changed from the basic ones handled by two paramedics to automatic lift devices that make it easier for both the patients and staff.”

According to Hayley, being able to follow up on patients is also a satisfying part of the job.

Away from her important role in the community, Hayley is a wife and mother of three children, who keep her busy with weekend sport and other activities. She also enjoys photography.

Raelee Bruce presented Hayley Hausfled with a gift as a token of appreciation.

The call has gone out for a new set of volunteers to take part in the 2026 Nepal Medical Trek and Hayley highly recommends the experience. It is not restricted to people with a medical background.

Club members are looking forward to the annual trivia night at next month’s dinner meeting, where all skill sets will be required to answer the questions set by trivia maestro Anne McMahon.