Primary Care Paramedic (PCP)

Purpose

The Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) holds all current legislative and regulatory qualifications and requirements to perform duties in a professional and responsible manner. This includes, but is not limited to, Defibrillation and Symptom Relief certification under the authority of a Base Hospital Medical Director of the Grey Bruce Huron Paramedic Base Hospital Program, a valid and subsisting Class “F” driver’s licence or equivalent, a valid C.P.R. certificate, and all other mandatory credentials required.

The PCP has the interchangeable role of driver and attendant, providing effective assessment, treatment and transportation of patients to medical and/or other facilities with respect for patients’ needs and confidentiality.

Responsibilities

Reports for duty on time and ready to respond to emergency calls at the beginning and throughout the scheduled shift. Performs the necessary duties and actions to ensure public safety and promote the safety of others.

Vehicle Control and Maintenance

• Inspects ambulance vehicles for roadworthiness, inventory according to the schedule of ambulance supplies and equipment, cleanliness, defects, serviceability, and safe and secure storage.
• Uses ambulance vehicles and emergency (rapid) response units only to provide ambulance services.
• Completes vehicle check sheets as determined by Grey County EMS.
• Accounts for the purchase of gas and oil using adopted methods.
• Immediately reports each movement of an ambulance or E.(R).R.V. to the communication service, including when vehicles are removed from service for maintenance or repair.
• When safe to do so, responds in heavy traffic and all weather conditions to emergency and non-emergency calls in accordance with the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, MOHLTC Emergency Health Services Branch, and Grey County EMS rules and regulations.
• Uses emergency warning devices in accordance with procedures adopted by MOHLTC Emergency Health Services and Grey County EMS.
• Operates ambulance and emergency response vehicles safely and professionally.
• Wears a seatbelt during the provision of ambulance service unless otherwise contraindicated by appropriate documentation from a licensed physician. The paramedic attending to a patient in the rear of the ambulance may not always be able to comply due to the provision of patient care. The ambulance driver must always use a seatbelt.

Patient Assessment

• Accesses the scene for hazards.
• Assesses patient condition through physical assessment (see BLS Standards, appendices 65 to 67 and 72 to 73).
• Establishes treatment priority in multiple-patient situations.
• Monitors and observes patients’ conditions at all times.

Treatment and Transport of Patients

• Performs functions according to patient needs and the paramedic’s qualifications and scope of practice, ensuring patient safety, privacy, and confidentiality at all times.
• Performs patient care duties and responds to ambulance calls as required as a first response unit, including patient assessment, treatment, and monitoring tasks, including some controlled medical acts in accordance with The Ambulance Act, Ontario Regulation 257/00, Patient Care and Transportation Standards, Ambulance Service Documentation Standards, and Communicable Disease Standards.
• Receives directions and instructions from medical authorities regarding appropriate patient care and treatment.
• The assigned driver of an ambulance or E.(R.)R.V. transports patients to a facility as directed by the communications officer directing the vehicle’s movements.
• Transfers patients to and from the ambulance safely.
• Continues and sustains patient care while en route to destinations.
• Copes with unusual situations and employs light rescue techniques when required.
• Ensures patients and passengers transported in an ambulance are properly restrained and transported safely.
• Ensures patients are properly secured to the stretcher and the stretcher is properly secured in the ambulance.
• Ensures incubators are firmly secured in the ambulance and infants are firmly secured in incubators, when applicable.
• Ensures patient care equipment and patient belongings are firmly secured in the ambulance at all times.

Transfers of Patient Responsibilities

Upon arrival at a medical facility, nursing home, or other destination:

• Transfers patients from vehicles, examining tables, stretchers, and other locations safely and in a protected manner.
• Transfers patients and their effects to and from vehicles and facilities.
• Obtains relevant and complete patient history from facility staff, including appropriate documentation.
• Provides patient history and case information.
• Ensures responsibility for the patient is transferred to or from facility staff.
• Ensures the patient care compartment and any equipment used are cleaned as required, and takes the necessary steps to restock the ambulance or E.(R.)R.V. with patient care and accessory equipment after each assigned call.
• Responding to priority calls (Codes 3, 4 and 8) takes precedence in all circumstances.

Documentation

• Completes required patient and administrative documentation and forms and ensures the safekeeping of patient records, including but not limited to ACRs, incident reports, and collision reports.
• Provides current copies of personnel file documentation as required by the Ontario Ambulance Act and Regulation 257/00. These documents include, but are not limited to:
  • Photocopy of driver’s licence, including a clearly identifiable employee photo.
  • Annual CPR recertification certificate.
  • Photocopy of Ministry of Health Ambulance Identification badge (when renewed, reported lost, or the number has changed).
  • Proof of immunization as per the requirements.