GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES
Emergency Medical Technicians, Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians, and Paramedics respond to emergency calls to provide efficient and immediate care to the critically ill and injured, and to transport patients to medical facilities. The EMT/AEMT/Paramedic must observe traffic ordinances and regulations concerning emergency vehicle operation.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EMT
- NREMT Certification EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- SDEMT Certification from South Dakota Department of Rural Health EMS Office
- Ability to work 2, 12-hour shifts per week, year round
- CPR Certification
- NRAEMT Certification
- SDAEMT License from South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners
- Ability to work 2, 12-hour shifts per week, year round
- CPR Certification
- ACLS certification card (within 6 months of hire)
- PALS certification card (within 6 months of hire)
- NR-Paramedic Certification
- SD Paramedic License from South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners
- Ability to work 2, 12-hour shifts per week, year round CPR Certification
- ACLS certification card (within 6 months of hire)
- PALS certification card (within 6 months of hire)
- functions in uncommon situations
- has a basic understanding of stress response and methods to ensure personal wellbeing
- has an understanding of body substance isolation
- understands basic medical-legal principles
- functions within the scope of care as defined by state, regional and local regulatory agencies
- complies with regulations on the handling of the deceased, notifies authorities and arranges for protection of property and evidence at the scene.
The EMT/AEMT/Paramedic determines the nature and extent of illness or injury and establishes priority for required emergency care. The EMT/AEMT/Paramedic renders emergency medical and or trauma care, to adults, children and infants based on assessment findings. Duties include but are not limited to:
- opening and maintaining an airway
- ventilating patients
- administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation, including use of automated external defibrillators
- providing prehospital emergency medical care of simple and multiple system trauma such as: - controlling hemorrhage, - treatment of shock (hypoperfusion), - bandaging wounds, - immobilization of painful, swollen, or deformed extremities, - immobilization of painful, swollen, or deformed neck or spine
- providing emergency medical care to: - assist in emergency childbirth, - manage general medical complaints of altered mental status, respiratory, cardiac, diabetic, allergic reaction, seizures, poisoning behavioral emergencies, environmental emergencies, and psychological crises.
- additional care is provided based upon assessment of the patient and obtaining historical information.
- searching for medical identification emblems as a guide to appropriate emergency medical care.
- assisting patients with prescribed medications, including sublingual nitroglycerin, epinephrine autoinjectors and hand-held aerosol inhalers.
- administrating oxygen, oral glucose and activated charcoal
- reassuring patients and bystanders by working in a confident, efficient manner
- avoiding mishandling and undue haste while working expeditiously to accomplish the task.
- lifting stretcher (be able to lift and carry 125 pounds), placing it in the ambulance and seeing that the patient and stretcher are secured
- providing emergency medical care while enroute to the medical facility.
- using knowledge of patient’s care, extent of injuries, and the relative locations and staffing of emergency hospital facilities to determine the most appropriate facility to which the patient will be transported, unless otherwise ordered by medical direction.
- reporting directly to the emergency department or communications center the nature and extent of injuries, the number being transported and the destination to assure prompt medical care on arrival.
- identifying assessment findings, which may require communications with medical control, for advise and for notification that special professional services and assistance be immediately available upon arrival at the medical facility.
- constantly assesses the patient enroute to the emergency facility, administers additional care as indicated or directed by medical control
- assists in lifting and carrying the patient out of the ambulance and into the receiving medical facility
- reports verbally and in writing, their observation and emergency medical care of the patient at the emergency scene and in transit, to the receiving medical facility staff for purposes of records and diagnostics
- upon request provides assistance to the receiving medical facility staff.
- Upon arrival at the scene of crash or illness, the EMT/AEMT/Paramedic parks the ambulance in a safe location to avoid additional injury. Prior to initiating patient care, the EMT/AEMT will also "size-up" the scene to determine scene safety; the mechanism of injury or nature of illness; the total number of patients; and if it is necessary to request additional help, if necessary.
Where a patient must be extricated from entrapment, the EMT/AEMT/Paramedic assesses the extent of injury and gives all possible emergency care and protection to the entrapped patient and uses the prescribed techniques and appliances for safely removing the patient. If needed, the EMT/AEMT/Paramedic radios the dispatcher for additional help or special rescue and/or utility services. Provides simple rescue service if the ambulance has not been accompanied by a specialized unit. After extrication, provides additional care in triaging the injured in accordance with standard emergency procedures.
After each call, the EMT/AEMT/Paramedic:
- restocks and replaces used linens, blankets and other supplies
- cleans all equipment following appropriate disinfecting procedures
- makes careful check of all equipment so that the ambulance is ready for the next run
- maintains ambulance in efficient operating condition
- ensures that the ambulance is clean and washed and kept in a neat orderly condition
- in accordance with local, state or federal regulations, decontaminates the interior of the vehicle after transport of patient with contagious infection or hazardous materials exposure.
- determines that vehicle is in proper mechanical condition by checking items required by service management.
- maintains familiarity with specialized equipment used by the service
- attends continuing education and refresher training programs as required by employers, medical control, licensing or certifying agencies.
- manage basic airway treatment, including the use of adjuncts
- Administer intravenous non-medication fluids
- Administer epinephrine, both concentrations
- Administer medications such as glucagon, naloxone, albuterol and nitrous oxide
- Manage advanced airways including cricothyrotomy and ventilator use Administer intravenous medications Continue hospital started infusions on transfers
- Full use of manual defibrillators
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, communicate, stand, walk, reach with arms, and use hands to manipulate, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
- The employee must be able to frequently lift objects weighing 50-100 pounds
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in outside weather conditions, including temperature extremes, during day and night shifts. Work is often performed in emergency and stressful situations. Individual is exposed to hearing alarms and hazards associated with rendering emergency medical assistance, including smoke, noxious odors, fumes, chemicals, liquid chemicals, solvents and oils. The employee will be expected to perform essential job functions despite the potential for fatigue resulting from extended shift work.
