Paramedic : Job description

Paramedics work in rapid response ambulance units to deal with medical emergencies. Such emergencies may include minor injuries, sudden illness, and casualties arising from road and rail accidents, criminal violence, fires and other incidents. Paramedics are usually the first senior healthcare professionals on the scene and they assess the patient’s condition and initiate specialist medical treatment and care before admission to hospital.

The primary goal of paramedics is to meet people’s immediate treatment needs. They resuscitate and stabilise patients by using advanced life support techniques, administer drips, drugs and oxygen, and apply splints, and also assist with complex hospital transfers.

Typical work activities

Paramedics deal with a wide range of patients who may be suffering from a variety of complaints. The response of a paramedic may vary but typical work activities include:

• responding to 999 calls for medical assistance at accidents, emergencies and other related incidents, usually in an ambulance with an ambulance technician to assist;
• assessing the condition of patients who are injured or taken ill suddenly;
• deciding what action is needed and initiating treatment;
• applying splints to limbs, dressing wounds, administering pain relief, oxygen, drips and fluids;
• using various kinds of equipment, including ventilators to assist breathing and defibrillators to treat heart failure, in order to resuscitate and stabilise patients;
• carrying out certain surgical procedures when necessary, such as intubation (insertion of a breathing tube);
• monitoring the patient's condition using high-tech equipment;
• assessing whether and how to move patients;
• liaising with members of other emergency services, such as the police or fire brigade;
• dealing with members of the public and family members present at the scene;
• treating patients in the ambulance while they are being transferred to hospital from the scene, or between hospitals in the case of patients being moved to receive specialist care;
• driving and crewing an ambulance or other rapid response vehicle;
• cleaning, decontaminating and checking vehicles and equipment to maintain a state of operational readiness;
• assisting with patient care in hospitals or health care centres;
• writing up case notes and reporting the patient's history, condition and treatment to relevant hospital staff.