Paramedic

Paramedic Emergency Department

Are you ready to make a real impact without the nonstop stress of back-to-back emergency calls? At Mercy Cedar Rapids, our Paramedics are valued members of the Emergency Department team. You’ll use your advanced skills to support patient care, expand your scope of practice, and work in a collaborative supportive environment.

This role is different from traditional EMS:

• No call-to-call grind, focus on meaningful patient-centered care
• Predictable scheduling, enjoy stability while doing what you love
• Broaden your expertise, gain experience in occupational medicine and emergency care
• Grow professionally, access ongoing training, expanded responsibilities, and new certifications

What You’ll Do:

• Support three Emergency Department locations (main hospital, Hiawatha, Marion)
• Respond to emergencies and assist with patient care under RN/physician supervision
• Perform IV/IO insertions, EKGs, phlebotomy, and administer medications (including narcotics & IV fluids)
• Assist with advanced procedures such as intubations, CPAP, cardioversions, sedations, NG/OG tubes, and foley catheter placements
• Collect patient histories, vitals, and prepare patients for exams
• Administer oral, SubQ, and IM medications as ordered
• Educate and discharge patients, schedule follow-ups, and provide test results
• Support daily operations including room turnover, supply management, and documentation
• Participate in codes and respond quickly to critical situations

Why Mercy:

• Stable community-based health system with 120+ years in Cedar Rapids
• Inclusive and collaborative environment where your skills are respected
• Opportunities to grow into expanded roles with training and mentorship
• Balance of hands-on emergency care and predictable work structure

Job Duties:

• Functions under the general supervision/direction of a supervising RN/Physician and is responsible for facilitating the provision of patient care which is goal directed.
• Performs accurate measurement of patient statistics to include vitals, height, and weight.
• Manages room turnover and patient flow.
• Collects health history and medication list.
• Escribes orders.
• Prepares patient for physician exam.
• Instructs patients as directed by the RN or physician.
• Administers oral, IV, SubQ, and IM medications.
• Demonstrates basic knowledge of medication purpose, side effects, and administration procedure.
• Practices standard precautions.
• Follows Mercy's safety guidelines, carries out job-specific safety duties and responsibilities, and promptly reports any unsafe conditions, situations, incidents, and injuries.

Department Specific Duties:

• Emergency Department(s)
• Receives radio ambulance report if Shift Supervisor or another nurse is not available.
• Performs IV/IO insertion on adult and pediatric patients and may obtain ordered lab tests.
• Responds to in-house and outpatient codes with another nurse.
• Covers for the primary RN during breaks, will take patient assignments (based on ESI) level 2 3 4 5.
• Will not take patient assignments (based on ESI) level 1.
• Will not take patient assignments that include trauma alerts, stroke alerts, or cardiac alerts.
• Completes primary and secondary triage of patients including call backs and ambulances which may include being assigned to the triage role.
• Completes primary and ongoing physical/psychosocial assessments of patients.
• Monitors cardiac activity and performs ECG per protocol.
• Initiates/maintains CPap BiPap vapotherm and ventilation settings.
• Administers (and wastes as appropriate) various intravenous medications to include narcotics for pain management and IV fluids.
• Monitoring of central/arterial lines.
• Places NG/OG tubes and foley catheters in adult and pediatric patients once trained by MMC personnel and performs intubation under the direct monitoring of the Provider.
• Assists the primary RN as the second staff in cardioversions/sedations and in verifying medication and infusions with the primary RN to include various medications.
• Transports patients with blood products hanging, performs eye irrigation, receives critical lab values, and follows Critical Results in Test policy and assess patient's response to interventions (ex. pain).
• Educates and discharges patients.
• Performs Vent/Bipap management.
• In the event of a mass casualty incident or disaster activation, additional duties may be temporarily assigned. These duties will be carried out under the direct supervision of an Emergency Department Physician.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrates critical thinking skills and abilities.
• Sound background in emergency medical care.
• Demonstrates ability to provide safe and effective patient care.

Professional Experience:

• Previous patient care/paramedic experience preferred.

Education:

• Education or related experience sufficient to obtain required licensure.

Licensure Certification Registration:

• Required: Current certification of Critical Care Paramedic.
• Required: Current certification in Pediatric Advance Life Support (PALS).
• Required: Current certification in Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
• Required: Current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) in accordance with the American Heart Association.
• Iowa Dependent Adult Abuse/Iowa Child Abuse Mandatory Reporter training required. Employee must submit certification of completed training to Human Resources prior to start or transfer date.

Pay Rate Type: Hourly

Mercy is an independent community-based organization supporting the Cedar Rapids area for over 120 years. Mercy is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion and therefore evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.