Volunteer Paramedic

Paramedic Position

The Paramedic will perform duties associated with providing rescue services and emergency medical care to the sick and injured in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and Elko County Ambulance Service policies and protocols.

A person in this position, although not a department supervisor, is the "lead" Elko County Ambulance Service representative and is expected to direct and coordinate other personnel (Emergency Medical Responders, Emergency Medical Technicians, and Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians) in both patient care and operational circumstances in the absence of the Ambulance Director, Assistant Ambulance Director, or designee.

The Paramedic will:

• Monitor and/or respond to a variety of calls, including phone, softphone, and two-way radio; verify and monitor vehicle unit locations via computers; record all service calls; prepare, prioritize, and relay transportation requests including emergency situations.
• Responding to emergency calls calmly, efficiently, and promptly.
• Staffing special event standbys to include providing BLS or ALS care to patients at event, arranging transport if necessary, and completing documentation for the event standby.
• Staffing interfacility transfers to include providing BLS or ALS care to patients being transferred between medical facilities and completing documentation for the patient transfer.
• Administering basic and advanced life support to patients at the scene, en route to the hospital, and in a pre-hospital setting, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and standards, and in accordance with Elko County Ambulance Service policies and guidelines.
• Assessing the nature and extent of injury or illness to establish and prioritize medical procedures to be followed. Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish operational and patient care goals.
• Rescuing and extricating victims of accidents, sudden illness or entrapment using proper rescue and medical techniques, within scope of training.
• Effectively communicating with professional medical personnel and treatment facilities to obtain instructions regarding further treatment and/or to arrange reception of patients to the appropriate center.
• Maintaining order at scenes, including dispersing crowds and protection of the scene as appropriate.
• Ensuring the professional provision of EMS in all circumstances, emergency and non-emergency, ensuring that high-quality customer service is provided to all customers, public safety agencies, and community members at all times.
• Completing patient care forms, insurance forms, evaluation forms, and all other forms and documentation in a competent and timely fashion.
• Adhering to and following all policies and procedures concerning safety and contamination by blood-borne pathogens.
• Educating and/or training Ambulance Service personnel, EMS trainees, students, and the public.
• Functioning as the lead Ambulance Service staff member when interacting with public safety agencies, local government officials, and others as assigned.
• Protecting patient privacy.
• Possessing and applying knowledge and skills necessary to perform the duties of a driver of ambulance service equipment.
• Performing routine tasks in and around the ambulance service building.
• Being timely and consistent in attendance.
• Being a team player.
• Being flexible.
• Maintaining a thorough working knowledge of local geography.
• Maintaining a thorough working knowledge of applicable current standards of care.

Other abilities required and special requirements include:

• Must possess basic working knowledge of a Windows compatible computer and be able to enter necessary data into a computer. The incumbent must possess basic working knowledge of smartphones, tablets, and GPS devices and be able to enter necessary data into the device.
• Advanced EMTs generally work 40-48 hours per week, as assigned. Advanced EMTs will be issued department-approved uniforms (shirts, pants, jackets) and must wear them while on duty; additionally, Advanced EMTs will be responsible for the maintenance and cleaning of their issued uniforms and for compliance with department Uniform and Personal Appearance Standards.
• Elko County Ambulance Service requires that all new staff complete the department-level Field Training and Evaluation Program appropriate to their level of certification (i.e. Advanced EMT). For new hire full-time employees, the staff member must complete Phase I and Phase II within three months of hire. New hire full-time employees may make a written request to the Ambulance Director to extend the FTEP of up to an additional three months, for a total of six months.
• Meet satisfaction of authorization and continued endorsement by the Elko County Ambulance Services' Medical Director.
• This position has been identified as affecting public safety.
• Persons offered employment must pass a criminal background check.
• Persons offered employment in this class must pass a pre-employment screening for alcohol and controlled substances. As a condition of continued employment, this position is subject to passing random screening for alcohol and controlled substances as required by Elko County personnel policies.
• Persons offered employment must pass a thorough medical examination as well as recertify every two (2) years.
• As a small department, to ensure the ability to flex extra personnel and resources during high volume periods, mass-casualty incidents; all Elko County Ambulance Service personnel within this position must comply with the ECAS Residency Standard Operating Guideline.

Additional preferred credentials include:

• National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Paramedic Credential
• ICS 300
• ICS 400
• Nevada EMS Instructor Endorsement
• Nevada Immunization Endorsement
• Certifications in additional EMS related disciplines such as AMLS, PEPP
• Instructor credentials in additional EMS related disciplines
• Elko County reserves the right to waive any of the minimum qualifications for those applicants whose general or specific qualifications would otherwise qualify the applicant for the position or lead the appointing authority to believe that the applicant is capable of performing the assigned duties and fulfilling the needs of the Department.

Physical demands and working environment include:

• Regularly required to speak and hear in team settings and/or one-on-one conversations. Frequently required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. Regularly required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and taste or smell.
• This position requires field work and riding in an ambulance, involving frequent sitting, walking, standing, bending, and moderate squatting, crouching, kneeling, twisting, crawling, and climbing, and working in awkward positions when moving patients from all types of locations and within the emergency vehicle. Frequent lifting of up to 100 lbs. Required to perform various lifts and transfers of patients who may require the use of one or more of the following items: stretcher or backboard, stair chair, neonate isolet, and possibly a two-person manual transfer. This position will require partnering with another EMT to lift, carry, push, pull, maneuver, balance and transfer from one surface to another a body weight of up to 300 lbs., and additional equipment weight. Requires manual dexterity of frequent simple and power grasping of both hands, moderate use of fine manipulation with both hands, and frequent pushing and pulling and reaching above and below shoulder level. This position also requires frequent use of foot controls when driving, utilizing stretchers, or operating other medical equipment with foot controls.
• Hearing: Must be able to hear and understand information provided by patients, family or bystanders; must be able to hear breath sounds and accurately determine auscultated blood pressures; must be able to differentiate separate conversations in active, distracting environments; must be able to hear and understand radio traffic when responding with lights and sirens.
• Speech: Must be able to speak and enunciate clearly and at a level audible to others in loud conditions, must be able to speak clearly in stressful situations, must be able to verbally communicate with patients, families and other emergency personnel.
• Vision: Requires ability to identify and distinguish colors, clear vision at 20 inches or less (close vision) and clear vision at 20 feet or more (distant vision), peripheral and depth vision, as well as ability to adjust focus.
• Must be able to analyze many variables and choose the most effective course of action for responding to calls, treatment and transportation of patients, and interaction with family members, facility personnel, and others. Must be able to handle novel and diverse work problems daily, including high pressure trauma and medical scenes. Personal maturity and sound judgment are important attributes. Must be able to relate, communicate and interact with people at all levels within the Company and at customer facilities, as well as with people of diverse backgrounds, age levels ranging from newborn to senior, disparate levels of comprehension, and potentially dealing with confused and agitated patients or family members. Requires ability to analyze, evaluate, compare, and compile information, and the ability to coordinate, communicate, and instruct.
• Language Skills: Ability to