Paramedic

Job Description

Job Description

Overview:

The Paramedic will perform duties associated with providing emergency and non-emergency care and transportation to the sick and injured in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations and protocols, and Community Ambulance policies

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responding to emergency and non-emergency calls.
• Acting within their protocols as spelled out by the SNHD.
• Administering Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support to patients in the pre-hospital setting.
• Provides advance emergency pre-hospital care to individuals in cardiac arrest and severe shock by intubation, I.V. administration, drug administration, reading and interpreting cardiac rhythm strips, and defibrillation.
• Assessing the nature and extent of injury or illness to establish and prioritize medical treatments and appropriate transport decisions.
• Handles and secures Class 2 narcotics.
• Communicating with professional medical personnel and treatment facilities to obtain instructions regarding further treatment and/or to arrange reception of patients to the appropriate facility.
• Maintaining order at scenes, including crowd disbursement and restraint of family and friends as required.
• Completing patient care forms, insurance forms, evaluation forms, and all other forms in a competent and timely fashion.
• Keeping a clean and organized work-station. This includes the ambulance itself as well as cleaning duties at the station or post.
• Protect patient privacy in accordance with Community Ambulance’s privacy policies.
• Must possess and apply knowledge and skills necessary to perform the duties associated with the safe operation of an ambulance and equipment, including;
  • Responding to instructions from a dispatcher using a two-way radio device.
  • Driving the ambulance at a safe and controlled speed in accordance with federal, state, and local law.
  • Assuring that the vehicles are in good working condition at all times.
  • Assuring that the vehicles are properly stocked at the beginning of each shift per local guidelines

• Cleaning, organizing, and restocking vehicles in a ready condition after each transport and at the end of each shift.
• Use all equipment in the ambulance as it was intended. Maintaining accurate records of ambulance equipment used and properly check equipment in/out with supply at the beginning and end of each shift.

• Must perform routine tasks such as;
  • Checking, restocking, inventorying, and cleaning any vehicles or medical equipment.
  • Cleaning and maintaining all work areas.
  • Representing the ambulance service while on duty at public service functions, expositions, and special events.
  • Performing any other duty related to Community Ambulance as designated by supervisory staff or dispatcher.
  • Maintain a thorough working knowledge of local geography including maps, street names, and geographic features.
  • Keep skills and knowledge current through attending ongoing CME courses offered through Community Ambulance or other providers.
  • Assuring that all certifications, licenses, and registrations are current at all times.

Qualifications:

• Must have a minimum of either a high school diploma or a GED as evidence of completion of a high school education.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
• Must be currently certified as an EMT-Paramedic through the Southern Nevada Health District.
• Must hold current ACLS certificate
• Must hold current PALS/PEPP certificate.
• Must hold current American Heart Association CPR certificate.
• Must possess basic working knowledge of a Windows based computer and be able to enter necessary data in to that computer.

Physical Requirements of Job:

The following guidelines are used to describe the frequency of activities in this position:

• Occasionally equals 1-33%

• Frequently equals 34-66%
• Continuously equals 67-100% of a typical work day

Physical Abilities: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. The position requires significant physical strength and dexterity and the ability to function in very adverse environments with exposure to numerous safety risks typically found at emergency scenes or in a hospital setting. Must be able to respond physically with speed; able to perform CPR and other lifesaving maneuvers, and maintain balance and strength in awkward positions.

Un-impaired Mobility: Must be able to respond quickly to ambulance calls; must physically be able to access patients located in difficult terrain and dangerous environments and locations; must be able to climb stairs and other structures; must be able to work in close and dangerous environments, such as without limitation, damaged vehicles and structures on fire; must be able to carry heavy equipment and patients.

Fine Motor Skills: Must be able to perform required medical skills and techniques, including without limitation bandaging, splinting and establishing an IV, performing endotracheal intubation and other advanced airway techniques, manual defibrillation, pleural decompression.

Vision: Must have correctable vision acceptable for day and night operation of emergency vehicles, must have color acuity adequate for determination of skin and blood color, and must be able to read medication dosages on drug labels and syringes.

Hearing: Must be able to hear and understand information provided by patients, family or bystanders; medical professionals and other emergency personnel; must be able to hear breath sounds and accurately determine auscultated blood pressure; 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 verbally communicate in stressful and distracting environments with patients, family members, medical professionals and or emergency personnel.

Standing/Walking: Frequently to continuously when responding to calls, while being optional while at rest. Most walking would be for short distances. Standing or walking could be on all types of surfaces. The individual must be able to go up and down slight inclines or declines that may be found at roadsides, ramps at hospitals, or care facilities. At a location, standing would occur more often than walking. Standing could last from a few minutes to hours, depending on the situation.

Sitting: Frequently when responding to a location or issuing patient care as the employee will sit in the emergency vehicle while in motion. The time required to sit would depend upon the specific situation.

Lifting and Carrying: Frequently required to lift and carry weights ranging from a few pounds and above. Occasionally required to lift and carry weights scaled at above 130 pounds or more. Will need to lift and carry, with possible assistance from other crew members, adult patients while moving them from one location to another (e.g., hospital bed to gurney, from floor to backboard, loading and unloading patient from ambulance, etc.). Other objects employees will be asked to move would include medical equipment boxes, large oxygen cylinders, and empty power gurneys to and from the ambulance.

Bending and Stooping: Frequently the individual will be required to bend in a range of 1 to 90 degrees. These situations occur while lifting a patient, lifting equipment, treating a patient at ground level, sitting on a bench located in the ambulance, etc. This activity may be prolonged and last up to 30 minutes or more. During any given call, the employee may bend and/or stoop 1 to 15 times per incident.

Crouching and Kneeling: Frequently may be performed when on the scene picking up equipment or assisting patients. The actual number of times this is done depends on the particular incident but may be up to 15 times for a duration up to 30 minutes or greater.

Climbing: Occasionally climbing steps up and down with a patient on a stretch or other device as well as entering and exiting the ambulance, may be required. Generally, the climbing would require lifting and carrying heavy objects such as a stretch or other device with a patient on it. Balancing may be required when backing down staircases.

Reaching: Frequently to continuously throughout the work shift in order to review monitoring equipment, operate communication equipment, administer oxygen, and to operate equipment. May also require employee to reach while in precarious positions, such as in a vehicle while in motion to reach medical supplies. Reaching will involve partial to full extension of the arms.

Pushing and Pulling: Frequently transporting a loaded gurney require the most force in pushing and pulling. The weight required to push or pull the gurney is dependent on the weight of the patient but can be in excess of 300+ pounds. Slight pushing will be required if the incumbent is performing CPR, which can require repetitive pushing and may range from a few minutes to hours. Pushing and pulling is required when operating vehicle doors.

Handling or grasping: Frequently to continuously. While working at any given location, continual bilateral gross manipulation is performed in this position. This may be involved in opening and closing doors, carrying and operating medical equipment and devices, operation of the power gurney, and filling out of patient care reports and other paperwork. The arm and hand must be able to perform in all positions, including supination and pronation. Hyperextension, extension and flexion of the fingers will be involved, ulnar and radial deviation, abduction and adduction of the hand and wrist will be required. A wide variety of grasping will be required.

Mental Requirements:

• Handle a number of stressful situations and be able to function calmly
• Get along well with diverse personalities
• Be prepared to work with a single individual for extended periods of time
• Communicate with patients and others with empathy and respect
• Create and maintain a positive and cooperative working environment in stressful situations
• Work smoothly and professionally in an environment where teamwork is essential
• Analyze and interpret difficult and complex patient care situations
• Work independently with a minimal amount of supervision
• Exercise sound judgment within general policy and procedural guidelines
• Anticipate and identify problems and take initiative to prevent or correct them
• Understand and follow federal, state and local laws, and Community Ambulance policies and procedures

Hazards: When responding to emergencies, employees can be exposed to dust, fumes, gases, fire, smoke, adverse weather conditions, and chemicals. Driving at speeds beyond the posted limit may occur and therefore, the incumbent may be exposed to vehicular accidents at a higher speed than normal. There is also exposure to body substances that may contain infectious materials that could cause illness or death. There is potential for bodily harm or death from violent patients, bystanders, or other dangers.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Community Ambulance is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors.

Additional Information:

Reports To: Vice President of Operations; Operations Administrator

Classification: Non-Exempt

Annual Pay Range: $45,186 - $79,235