EMT

Paraprofessional Emergency Medical Technician

This is entry level paraprofessional work providing basic life support and transporting sick and injured patients. Work involves driving to and from the scene, providing patient care as directed by a paramedic and within the medical protocols and standards established by the EMS Medical Director, documenting activities, and providing other assistance as needed. The Job Description Questionnaire (JDQ) reflects a more detailed description of the position. Neither the job description nor the JDQ constitutes an employment agreement. Both are subject to change as the needs of the County and requirements of the job change.

Essential duties include checking vehicle for supplies and equipment, maintaining inventory control, advising paramedic partner and logistics personnel of equipment and supplies needed, maintaining vehicle in full operational readiness in compliance with state and division standards, insuring supplies, cleanliness, and preventive maintenance, assisting in maintaining ambulance in efficient operating condition, cleaning the ambulance after each emergency call, conducting medical inventory and inspection of supplies, restocking the emergency vehicle with regard to supplies and equipment, receiving dispatch instructions by radio or telephone, communicating over radio and telephone with dispatch operations, hospital staff, and representatives of other public safety organizations, operating an ambulance expeditiously and safely through traffic in accordance with defensive driving techniques and various weather conditions, adhering to traffic regulations governing emergency vehicle operation, driving the emergency vehicle to and from accident scenes and hospitals, assisting paramedics in establishing priority for emergency care; initiating basic life support procedures according to established standing orders and medical protocols, following and performing work consistent with Standard Operating Guidelines, standing orders and medical protocols, communicating effectively with patients, family members, bystanders, team members, public safety staff, first responders, dispatchers, and radio operators, assessing patient condition, administering a variety of basic life support medical treatments accurately and as rapidly as possible, using techniques such as patient assessment, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), splinting, obstetrical assistance, bandaging, administration of oxygen, and other techniques described in the Emergency Medical Technician Basic Training Course curriculum, using other techniques which have been approved and are performed under conditions specified by rules of the Florida Department of Health, administering emergency care while transporting patient in ambulance, assisting paramedic in delivering patient to emergency room, completing required forms and reports, documenting patient care and other matters as required, attending seminars, workshops and training sessions as required, providing for the security of controlled substances and witnessing the proper disposal of controlled substances, providing facility-to-facility transports, both locally and outside of Leon County, Florida.

Other important or marginal duties include assisting with community events such as educating the public on injury prevention, bicycle safety, car seat safety, emergency medical procedures and Cariopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), performing miscellaneous duties and administrative tasks such as facility cleaning, general housekeeping, and scheduling maintenance.

Difficulty involves independent judgment in the application of medical services in accordance to established standards. Employee must apply principles of emergency medicine and common sense understanding to carry out detailed and involved written or oral instructions. Employee must comprehend and interpret information received and observed.

Supervision received ranges from defined to somewhat defined and involves judgment and the application of established standards. Supervised by Charge Paramedic. Supervision of others is none. Internal and external customer contact includes interaction with the sick and injured medical staff, and public safety staff. Equipment and tools used include rescue vehicle, stretcher, and medical equipment.

Work environment and physical demands involve working indoors and outdoors, exposure to adverse weather conditions including rain, heat, cold, wind, et cetera, working in conditions of poor lighting and high levels of noise, being exposed to moving mechanical parts, risk of infection or contamination from injured people, hostile/violent individuals, toxic or caustic chemicals, lifting in excess of 100 pounds, climbing, balancing, stooping, crawling, bending, kneeling, walking, sitting or standing for prolonged periods of time, using hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, communicating effectively verbally and in writing, motor coordination to safely walk and carry equipment and patients over even and uneven terrain, working in areas of limited mobility including an ambulance.

Knowledge, skills and abilities include knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of emergency medical service and basic life support of the sick and injured, knowledge of the proper handling, containment, and disposal of bio-hazardous medical waste, knowledge of emergency medical equipment and telecommunication devices, knowledge of traffic regulations governing emergency vehicle operation, knowledge of highways, roads, and streets of the City and County, knowledge of rules for effective written and spoken English communications, skill in operating an emergency vehicle expeditiously, safely and defensively, skill in the use of radio equipment, skill in applying appropriate medical techniques, ability to think and behave in a reasonable way and to make good decisions, ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing, ability to maintain a courteous and professional demeanor, ability to lift/push/carry in excess of 100 pounds, ability to make accurate assessments of injuries or physical trauma, ability to properly set-up and use equipment as directed by Paramedic, ability to maneuver an emergency vehicle/ambulance expeditiously and safely through traffic, ability to deal with a variety of sick, injured, and hysterical/violent individuals from various socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, ability to maintain thorough medical records, ability to prepare verbal and written reports, ability to distinguish color and shades of color, ability to keep patient information confidential, ability to maintain certification and training, ability to maintain a good driving record, ability to work varying hours, ability to use tact and empathy in dealing with a variety of patients, many of whom are emotionally upset, ability to maintain composure in stressful situations and use good judgment, ability to maintain the skill, physical strength, agility, and emotional stability to handle emergency treatments and to lift patients and equipment in and out of ambulance, ability to follow and understand protocols.

Minimum qualifications require a high school diploma or an equivalent. An AA degree is preferred.

Necessary special requirements include current Florida EMT Certification, current certificate indicating successful completion of American Heart Association BLS (Basic Life Support) for Health Care Providers, or an equivalent that is acceptable to Leon County, current certificate indicating successful completion of 16 hour EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operator's Course) recognized by Florida Department of Health, Florida Class E Driver's License, or equivalent accepted by the State of Florida, and a favorable driving record. Must present a valid Florida Department of Motor Vehicles driver transcript at the time of hire. Must possess or successfully complete, within three months of hire, the following Incident Command Systems (ICS) Training Courses and maintain such ICS certifications throughout the term of employment: IS-100 –Introduction to the Incident Command System, IS-200 – ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents, IS-700 –National Incident Management System, IS-800.B – National Response Framework. Must possess certification or otherwise successfully complete, within three months of hire, the International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) course, or equivalent course that is acceptable to Leon County, unless such ITLS course is not offered within such timeframe and the time of completion is therefore extended by EMS Administration, and maintain such ITLS or acceptable equivalent certification throughout the term of employment.

Selection guidelines include formal application, rating of education and experience; oral interview and reference check; pre-employment physical fitness test, physical exam, drug testing, and background checks.

Competency progression plan allows employees assigned to the EMT I classification to progress to the EMT II classification upon employee's successful completion of the applicable Field Training Program and approval of the Leon County Medical Director.

FLSA status: Position is Non-Exempt.