Ambulance and Emergency Care Worker

? Job overview
All ambulances should be in radio contact with a central control centre.

When receiving an emergency call, the nearest available ambulance or rapid response vehicle is dispatched to the scene.

Ambulance and emergency care workers then give pre-hospital emergency care to sick or injured persons.

What do people do in this job?
On the spot a quick assessment of the patient/s is made.

The emergency care workers try to resuscitate and stabilise and prevent further injuries to the affected persons and give any other appropriate treatment including basic life-support and treatment of wounds and fractures.

Depending on the level of training, drugs can be given to the patient too.

Specialised equipment and rescue tools may also be used to free a person from any wreckage.

After treatment, the patient is transported to hospital by ambulance.

En route treatment is provided to the patient.

At the hospital the patient is handed over to the emergency personnel there with a report of the injuries and of treatment administered.

Afterwards, ambulance and emergency care workers return to their base where linen and equipment are replaced.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
Ambulance and emergency care workers must be able to make decisions and carry out their duties in calm, reassuring way.

They should be sympathetic, responsible and sincere.

What qualifications are needed?
Extensive training in, and knowledge of, emergency care.

Before ambulance and emergency care workers can be appointed, they have to pass a medical examination and undergo psychometric and fitness tests, as required by their employers.

Prospective ambulance and emergency care workers should have a valid driver?'?s licence.