6.5 Primary Care Paramedic

Minimum Education / Qualifications

All primary care paramedics must, as a minimum, have:

1. Graduated from a Paramedic Program approved by Paramedic Association of Canada (PAC) and/or the Canadian medical Association (CMA)
2. Unrestricted licence and in “good standing” with the provincial or territorial regulatory body in the province/territory of practice
3. A Certificate of Standard First Aid and BLS for Healthcare Provider or equivalent such as CPR/AED Level C
4. A current Certificate of either Basic or Advanced International Trauma Life Support (ITLS)
5. Successful completion of a RS as well as the PRC/VSS the process.  These documents are mandatory and necessary as these resources will be working with youth
6. Been fit-tested for an N-95 (or equivalent) mask in the last two years or sooner, if a change in physiognomy occurs that may affect efficacy of determined size to wear

Minimum Experience

All primary care paramedics have a minimum of one (1) full time equivalent year of experience in the last five (5) years in conducting patient assessment and be able to demonstrate experience of direct patient care in a primary care, public or community health, ambulatory, or acute care setting.

The required services/tasks may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Assisting health care personnel
• Perform triage assessment during walk-in hours and patient assessments that include medical or incident history, physical examinations
• Perform medical interventions such as taking vital signs, applying aseptic techniques including sterile dressing, ensuring infection control, and conducting specimen collection
• Develop a medical care plan based on the result of the assessment and refer to a physician or other health care provider
• Administer medication as per doctor’s order as per provincial scope of practice and observe and document therapeutic effects
• Provide medical coverage and support as required.  This will include patient assessment, initial triage, urgent medical care, stabilization and handover to other paramedics or healthcare professionals
• Cleaning, wrapping and sterilizing instruments as per instructions
• Maintaining an up-to-date list of general supplies, taking requests to inventory management group and bringing back supplies as required
• Cleaning treatment rooms and replacing equipment and supplies
• Perform medical duties escort
• Communicate any changes or abnormal findings of the patient’s status or condition to the senior staff. Abnormal is defined as any deviation to the norm, average, or expected
• Perform therapeutic procedures such as injections and wound care
• Administer and monitor established respiratory therapy and intravenous therapy
• Monitor patient’s progress and evaluate effectiveness of nursing interventions
• Provide health education to patients
• Other associated tasks relevant to this occupational group