Emergency Medical Technician

Description

A full-time, non-exempt, hourly employee. EMT’s shall be full-time or part-time who report directly to their respective Battalion Chief. The mission and purpose of this position is to compassionately deliver high-quality service, with basic and advanced patient care as a valid state of Missouri Emergency Medical Technician. Clinical care is under the general direction and supervision of the EMS Medical Director.

Qualifications

1. Education and Experience:
a. High school diploma or equivalent.

2. Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:
a. Valid Missouri Class “E” license driver's license.
b. Valid Missouri EMT license.
c. Must maintain continuous AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification.
d. ICS100, ICS200, IS700, IS800 required.
e. Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) certification, Pediatric Advanced Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization (PEARS), Geriatric Education for EMS (GEMS) required within six (6) months of hire. Obtain and maintain additional certifications as directed by the Department.
f. Must be currently certified through a standard Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC), or similar standard as approved by the Chief.
g. Ability to obtain and maintain Cole County Pre-Hospital Provider Certification.

3. Skills:
a. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Windows with ability to use specialized EMS computer applications.
b. Skilled at developing effective working relationships with all partnering agencies, adjunct public safety entities, and emergency hospital personnel.
c. Ability to use good judgment and to operate equipment and emergency vehicles in high stress and adverse conditions.
d. Must be proficient in oral and written communication, including documentation of patient assessment and care.
e. Ability to prioritize multiple tasks, work independently and as a team member, employ discretion and confidentiality in sensitive areas, read, interpret, and follow instructions.
f. Ability to organize and prioritize work daily.
g. Ability to interview patients and bystanders and to document all relevant information according to departmental policy.
h. Persuade others and negotiate solutions to conflicts and problems.
i. Listen and integrate the ideas of others.
j. Identify and resolve problems.
k. Recall the response area of CCEMS.
l. Obtain thorough knowledge of all CCEMS policies, procedures, and medical protocols.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Administrative:
a. Continually re-evaluates emergency care, knowledge, and techniques. Participates in CCEMS training classes to maintain skill and knowledge proficiency while fulfilling National and State licensure requirements.
b. Participates in public relations and public education presentations. Presentations shall be conducted with a spirit of professionalism and enthusiasm. Provides tours of department facilities and vehicles/ Demonstrates procedures and answers questions to increase public awareness of emergency medical care.
c. Completes routine housekeeping tasks and other assigned duties including cleaning of the ambulance and crews' living quarters.
d. Completes other duties as assigned by command staff.

2. Operations:
a. Perform thorough patient assessments, determine nature and extent of illness or injuries, and establish priorities for emergency care in a rapid and efficient manner.
b. Provides basic life support with all the associated skills, procedures, and medications as defined in the Missouri EMS scope of practice for Emergency Medical Technicians and CCEMS protocols.
c. Assess each call situation to determine best course of action and appropriate protocol utilization.
d. Provide patient care according to clinical protocols and safety requirements.
e. Assist advanced life support personnel with procedures and patient care.
f. Document 100% of all patient care activities in a timely manner; such reports shall be both accurate and complete to ensure appropriate information and data collection points are recorded and available for each call, regardless of whether a patient transport occurred.
g. Develop and utilize triage skills to provide optimal efficiency during calls involving multiple patients, and ensures proper resources are called upon for response.
h. Adhere to medical protocols as adopted by Cole County EMS.
i. Adhere to all requirements of the CCEMS QI program with regard to data collection, support research initiatives through education involvement, participation, and thorough documentation.
j. Consider patient status, insurance preferred facilities, and hospital diversion status when determining transportation destinations.
k. Communicate with receiving facility and medical control to receive medical direction and to provide critical information.
l. At all times display professional, courteous conduct and appearance.
m. Diligent adherence to protection of Personal Health Information (PHI) in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations.
n. Communicate with patient and loved ones to provide information and assurance that care is being given, and to show compassion.
o. Coach and educate co-workers of new and changing information as necessary.
p. Respond quickly and safely to the scene of an accident or illness. Drive the ambulance with safety and due regard and provide map reading support to minimize call response time.
q. Adherence to all EMS Department policies and practices.
r. Perform all other duties as assigned by the Chief of EMS or designee

Physical Demands

1. Physical activities required on the job include:
a. Regularly (over 70% of the time) sitting, talking, and hearing (i.e., meetings, public speaking engagements, etc.).
b. Frequently (41% to 70% of the time) grasping, standing, walking, and driving.
c. Occasionally (1% to 40% of the time) feeling attributes of objects, reaching with hands/arms, stooping and kneeling, climbing, or balancing, and repetitive wrist, hand and/or finger movement.

2. Job requires ability to lift and/or exert force as follows:
a. Regularly (over 70% of the time) lifts up to 25 pounds.
b. Frequently (41% to 70%) lifts up to 75 pounds.
c. Occasionally (15% to 40%) lifts up to 100 pounds.
d. Rarely (less than 15%) lifts over 100 pounds.

3. Visual activities required on the job include:
a. Clarity of vision at 20 feet or more and 20 inches or less.
b. Three-dimensional vision—ability to judge distance and space relationships.
c. Ability to identify and distinguish colors.
d. Ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus.
e. Ability to see up and down or to right or left while fixed on point.

4. Mental activities that are required during a typical workday are:
a. Concentrated attention with regards to writing and preparing various CCEMS written communication.

5. While on a call the job requires exposure to any of the following environmental conditions:
a. Frequently (50% to 75%) exposed to outdoor weather conditions.
b. Rarely (5% to 10%) exposed to extreme cold (non-weather), extreme heat (non-weather), subject to oils (mechanical or food)c. Occasionally (25% to 40%) work in hazardous traffic.

6. The noise that is experienced on the job is a moderate noise level (i.e., office with computers and/or computer printers and clinical equipment).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This position requires the employee to sit and use hands to handle, feel, finger, grasp or operate objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; use mental acuity and repetitive motion; crouch, kneel and stoop; and walk, talk and hear. The employee must occasionally lift up to one hundred eighty (180) pounds with one assistant. Cardiovascular conditioning should be sufficient for the extended performance of cardiac chest compressions, maneuvering and lifting of the gurney and other transport tools, and transport of medical equipment and patient belongings. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

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 the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job; the employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts and outside weather conditions, the employee is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles; extreme cold; extreme heat; risk of electrical shock and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.