Paramedic

Paramedic

A North Carolina Paramedic provides emergency medical care to individuals in urgent situations, responding to 911 calls and transporting patients to healthcare facilities. They assess patient conditions, administer life-saving treatments, and work closely with other healthcare professionals to ensure the best outcomes. Paramedics are trained to handle a wide range of medical emergencies, including trauma, cardiac issues, and respiratory distress. They maintain equipment, document patient care, and follow state and federal protocols. The role requires strong medical knowledge, quick decision-making skills, and the ability to remain calm under pressure in high-stress environments.

Specific duties and responsibilities include:

1. Respond to emergency calls
2. Assess and monitor patients
3. Administer emergency medical treatment
4. Transport patients to medical facilities
5. Operate and maintain equipment
6. Document patient care
7. Communicate with healthcare providers
8. Provide emotional support
9. Follow protocols and regulations
10. Continuing education and training
11. Maintain professionalism and teamwork

Minimum training and experience: High school diploma or GED and moderate experience in emergency medical care, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special requirements include:

Valid driver's license in the State of North Carolina Credentialed by the North Carolina Office of EMS as an Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic and approved by the Emergency Medical Services Director to practice. Completion of additional course work and/or certification as determined necessary by the Emergency Medical Services Director.

Please refer to Chapter 13 Sub-Chapter 13P, Section.0502 of the North Carolina Administrative Code for specific certification requirements.

Minimum qualifications or standards required to perform essential job functions include:

Physical requirements:

1. Ability to physically perform the basic life operational functions of climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, feeling, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.
2. Ability to perform heavy work exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
3. Ability to lift at least 200 pounds with a partner. Lift and carry appropriate emergency bags weighing up to 50 lbs. each and use proper carrying techniques when loading and unloading a patient in various environments.
4. Ability to carry appropriate EMS bags and equipment to manage an emergency situation.

Data conception:

1. Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional structural or composite characteristics (whether similar or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.

Interpersonal communication:

1. Ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments or directions from superiors.

Language ability:

1. Ability to complete patient care reports utilizing appropriate grammar and mathematical computations.

Intelligence:

1. Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and to deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
2. Ability to apply considerable independent judgment and to perform effectively under stressful situations and emergency situations.
3. Possesses the cognitive abilities and skills to adapt to varying geographical assignments based on emergency

Verbal aptitude:

1. Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages including medical terminology and emergency response codes.

Numerical aptitude:

1. Ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; to multiply and divide; to calculate decimals and percentages; to interpret graphs; to perform calculations involving variables, formulas, square roots, and polynomials.

For/spatial aptitude:

1. Ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape.
2. Possesses visual acuity to operate an emergency medical ambulance or other vehicles and distinguish detail and differences when observing people, places and things on medical emergency calls.

Motor coordination:

1. Ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using emergency medical equipment and hand tools.
2. Operate an ambulance during a 12 or 24-hour shift; in emergency situations involving congested traffic and in unsafe road conditions caused by factors such as fog, smoke, rain, ice and snow.

Manual dexterity:

1. Ability to handle a variety of items such as emergency medical equipment and hand tools. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
2. Ability to perform rescue functions at accidents, emergencies and disasters by administering emergency medical aid, lifting, dragging and carrying patients away from dangerous situations and securing and evacuating people from particular areas.

Color discrimination:

1. Ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.

Interpersonal temperament:

1. Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with emergency situations.

Physical communication:

1. Ability to talk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via a telephone and two-way radio.
2. Ability to communicate effectively and coherently over EMS radio channels while initiating and responding to radio communications.
3. Ability to gather information for patient records by interviewing and obtaining the statements of patients and witnesses.

Considerable knowledge of basic and advanced emergency medical procedures and techniques. Considerable knowledge of equipment and supplies employed in the emergency care of patients and victims of accidents. Considerable knowledge of procedures of extrication, movement of patients, rescue techniques, transportation and psychological needs of a patient. Working knowledge of County geography and of the location of medical facilities and roads and streets within the County. Working knowledge of radio communications equipment. Skill in evaluating a patient's condition and applying appropriate emergency medical care. Ability to respond quickly and calmly to emergency situations. Ability to deal tactfully, courteously and firmly with the general public. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

HIPAA Privacy Act will limit access to protected health information (PHI) to the information reasonably necessary to do the job. Will share information only on a need to know basis for work purposes. Access to verbal, written and electronic PHI for this job has been determined based on job level and job responsibility within the organization. Computerized access to PHI for this job has been determined as described above and is controlled via user ID and password. Special Note: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.