Paramedic

PLEASE NOTE - This position may require temporarily relocation to other TONHC Facilities: Sells Hospital, Santa Rosa Health Center, San Simon Health Center, and San Xavier Health Center.

Position Summary:

The purpose of the position is to provide pre-hospital and intra-hospital advanced life support care to patients who are ill or/and injured in emergency situations until patient care is relinquished to an acceptable medical facility; conduct an initial patient assessment, prioritize prompt and efficient patient care, and the transport of patient per Base Hospital protocols.

Scope of Work: This position serves at the Tohono O'odham Nation Sells Hospital and surrounding service area. The incumbent is assigned emergency or patient transport runs by the supervisor. The incumbent is the highest-level medical provider on the scene to direct patient care. Work evaluation by the Department and the Base Hospital ensures conformity with treatment protocols and requirements through quality control procedures.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: (Depending on the area of assignment, an incumbent may not be required to perform some of the duties listed below):

• Independently conducts a complete patient assessment. Identifies and treats trauma and medical emergencies using advanced knowledge of topographic anatomy (e.g., right/left surface, proximal/distal, superior/inferior); knowledge of major body systems (e.g., skeletal, muscular, nervous); knowledge of advanced emergency medical techniques and understanding of the legal considerations of emergency care.
• Identify the signs and symptoms of life-threatening versus non-life-threatening, trauma, and medical conditions and provide appropriate advanced treatment outlined by Arizona Department of Health Services approved protocols.
• Assist with moving, lifting, and carrying patients to emergency vehicles and appropriate treatment facilities.
• Treat fractures, dislocations, sprains, and various eye injuries (e.g., impaled objects, chemical or heat burns). Also, identifies cardiac abnormalities, diabetic-related complications, compromised renal function problems, and various other medical and/or trauma-related issues, and supervises field treatment at scene, en-route, or until the arrival of definitive care.
• Assess the scene and recognize the need for the ancillary personnel and request additional personnel as needed. Triage the patient(s), perform primary and secondary patient assessment, search for medical alert symbols, modify protocol if necessary, and determine the extent and seriousness of the patient's condition.
• Respond to and return from emergency calls using advanced knowledge of local road systems, traffic, road, and weather conditions. Safely operate emergency and patient transport vehicles under all weather and traffic conditions, selecting the most expeditious and appropriate route to and from the emergency site while adhering to governing traffic ordinances and laws on the operation of emergency vehicles.
• Perform patient transport and patient care duties using advanced skills and familiarity with emergency and patient transport vehicles. Determine which Emergency Medical Service transport modalities to use as dictated by patient needs and foremost, assuring that the patient's safety is never compromised. Safely transport patients to various destinations.
• Perform maintenance of the vehicles: decontaminate per established procedures; replace supplies and clean wash, and vacuum vehicles as needed. Perform safety and maintenance inspections; perform minor repairs to emergency and patient transport vehicles and equipment.
• Use radio equipment following FCC procedures and effectively communicate orally and in writing with medical and ancillary personnel using extensive emergency communication techniques and operating communication equipment. Communicate with and transmit EKG information to treatment facility; supervise all communication from the field; contact ancillary personnel using various communication devices, and orally report clearly and concisely patient assessment and treatment administered.
• Maintain Administrative Base Hospital relations with a hospital as directed by the Department.
• Contribute to a team effort.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of Tohono O'odham culture, customs, and traditions.
• Knowledge of the local road system and skill in the pre-selection and planning of the route ensures safe and expedient transport to the proper health care facility.
• Extensive skill in using emergency communication techniques and operating communication equipment to accurately obtain and relay information from dispatchers and/or health care providers.
• Knowledge and skill in advanced emergency medicine techniques sufficient to determine the approach or combination of methods that will most effectively sustain the patient's life; procedures such as manual defibrillation, synchronized cardioversion, and other Advanced Cardiac Life Support skills.
• Knowledge of topographic anatomy to accurately relay the location of injury or affected area on the patient's body.
• Knowledge of the major body systems to perform a patient's examination, provide patient care, and ensure appropriate patient handling.
• Knowledge to sufficiently understand the legal considerations of emergency care, e.g., actual/implied consent and Good Samaritan laws, limiting the government and the paramedic's exposure to lawsuits while maintaining the legal standards of care.
• Knowledge of the Privacy Act of 1974 mandates the incumbent to maintain the confidentiality of all administrative, medical, and personnel records.
• Knowledge of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Public Law 104-191 (HIPAA).
• Skill and familiarity with emergency and patient transport vehicle characteristics to safely operate these vehicles under all weather and traffic conditions while transporting patients.
• Skill working with patients of all ages, understanding the effects of treatment modalities and medications on persons from birth to advanced age.
• Ability to recognize medical, environmental, obstetrical, traumatic, and surgical emergencies; obtain and interpret diagnostic signs and symptoms (i.e., blood pressure, pulse, respiration).
• Ability to aid in extricating patients from wrecked vehicles and other confining/entrapping situations in a safe manner; swift water rescue.
• Ability to lift, move, position, and handle patients; triage; mass casualty incident management; disaster operations; hazardous materials; recognition/treatment; weapons of mass destruction recognition/treatment; use of specialized heavy equipment (i.e., Jaws of Life, heavy-lift airbags).
• Ability to move and operate all rescue equipment alone within the first year of employment.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or General Education Diploma.
• One year of experience as a Paramedic.

Licenses, Certifications, Special Requirements:

• Certification as a Paramedic Level Emergency Medical Technician with the State of Arizona.
• Must maintain current certification as a Paramedic (EMCT-P) in the State of Arizona and certification in CPR, Advance Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) as a condition of employment.
• A drug and alcohol testing designated position. The incumbent must submit to a drug test and be cleared before starting employment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
• Upon recommendation for hire, a criminal background and a National FBI fingerprint check are required to determine suitability for employment, including a 39-month driving record.
• May require possessing and maintaining a valid driver's license (no DUIs or major traffic citations within the last three years).
• If required, must meet the Tohono O'odham Nation tribal employer's insurance requirements to receive a driver's permit to operate program vehicles.
• Based on the department's needs, incumbents may be required to demonstrate fluency in both the Tohono O'odham language and English as a condition of employment.