Paramedic Job Description Template

If you’re looking for paramedic jobs, it’s important to obtain the proper job description for the position you want to pursue, because the nature of the industry is extremely far-reaching.
The emergency medical services industry includes everything from various levels of emergency medical technicians and paramedics to ambulance drivers and emergency management personnel.
And because each position within the EMS industry has its own training requirements and skill set, you should study job description of the exact occupation you want before deciding how to prepare for the position.
For instance, check out this job description template for ambulance drivers:
The Ambulance Driver job function is to drive the ambulance assisting in transporting sick, injured, or convalescent persons. They must also assist in lifting patients.

• Job Functions

The Ambulance Driver job function is to drive ambulances or assist ambulance drivers in transporting sick, injured, or convalescent persons. The Ambulance Driver removes and replaces soiled linens and equipment to maintain sanitary conditions. The Ambulance Driver places patients on stretchers and load stretchers into ambulances, usually with assistance from other attendants. The Ambulance Driver accompanies and assists emergency medical technicians on calls. The Ambulance Driver is expected to earn and maintain appropriate certifications in order to perform their job function. The Ambulance Driver replaces supplies and disposable items on ambulances making sure that they are always fully stocked before making an emergency call. The Ambulance Driver is responsible for reporting facts concerning accidents or emergencies to hospital personnel or law enforcement officials. The Ambulance Driver is responsible to administer first aid, such as bandaging, splinting, and administering oxygen. Sometimes the Ambulance Driver is expected to restrain or shackle violent patients.

• Knowledge

The Ambulance Driver needs knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of a customer satisfaction. The Ambulance Driver needs knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits. The Ambulance Driver needs knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. The Ambulance Driver needs knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

• Skills

The Ambulance Driver must have the skill to give full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. The Ambulance Driver must have the skill to perform routine maintenance on equipment and determine when and what kind of maintenance is needed. The Ambulance Driver needs the skill to adjust actions in relation to others’ actions in order to properly perform their job function. The Ambulance Driver must have the skill to monitor gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure the machine is working properly and the patient vitals are being correctly controlled. The Ambulance Driver needs the skill to understand written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. The Ambulance Driver often has to make decision quickly so they must have the skill to determine the kind of tools and equipment needed to do their job function. This can be a life or death situation for someone so they need to be fully aware of what each piece of equipment on the ambulance will do and how to properly use the tools. The Ambulance Driver needs the skill to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. The Ambulance Driver needs to be actively looking for ways to help people while doing their job function. The Ambulance Driver needs to be able to understand the implications of new information for both current and future problem solving and decision making.

• Abilities

The Ambulance Driver must have the ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. The Ambulance Driver needs the ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. The Ambulance Driver needs the ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving the arm or while holding the arm and hand in one position. The Ambulance Driver needs the ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions. The Ambulance Driver needs the ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. The Ambulance Driver needs the ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events. The Ambulance Driver needs the ability to speak clearly so others can understand any instructions or direct commands.

EMS Jobs

When it comes to EMS jobs, emergency medical technicians and paramedics are probably the two most popular positions.
During 2006, EMTs and paramedics accounted for about 201,000 jobs, and 30 percent of those employees belong to a union, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most paid employees in the field work in metropolitan areas, while volunteer EMTs and paramedics can be found in smaller cities, towns and rural areas.
Volunteer EMTs and paramedics often work for fire departments, EMS or hospitals. About four out of 10 paid EMTs and paramedics are employed by private ambulance services; about three out of 10 work in local government for fire departments, public ambulance services and EMS; and about two out of 10 work full-time in hospitals.
During an emergency, EMTs and paramedics are usually dispatched by a 911 operator to the scene, where they often work with police and firefighters. Once on the scene, they assess the nature of the patient’s condition, determine if the patient has any existing medical conditions and provide appropriate emergency care, which may include transporting the patient.
EMTs and paramedics, who often work in teams, are often responsible for transporting patients in an ambulance or helicopter to a medical facility. Other specific duties of EMTs and paramedics depend on their level of qualification and training.
The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians certifies EMS providers at five levels, including First Responder; EMT-Basic; EMT-Intermediate 1985 or 1999; and paramedic. In addition, some states have their own certification programs.
As with most health-related careers, EMTs and paramedics face considerable danger when doing their job. Not only are they subjected to every element and required to do extensive kneeling, bending and heavy lifting, but they also are at risk of noise-induced hearing loss from sirens, back injuries from lifting patients, exposure to various diseases and violence from unstable patients.
Most EMTs and paramedics employed by fire departments work about 50 hours per week, while those employed by hospitals work between 45 and 60 hours per week and those in private ambulance services work between 45 and 50 hours per week. Many EMTs and paramedics are on call for extended periods.
During May 2006, the median average salary for EMTs and paramedics was $27,070 per year, with the middle 50 percent earning between $21,290 and $35,210 per year; the lowest 10 percent earning less than $17,300 per year; and the top 10 percent earning more than $45,280 per year.
Employment for EMTs and paramedics is expected to grow by 19 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Many job openings are expected to materialize from growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupation.
The best job opportunities are expected to be in private ambulance services. There will be high competition for jobs in local government, including those with fire and police departments and independent third-service rescue squad departments.