Paramedics for the Mount Vema Health Service

​MVHS, The Mount Vema Health Service, is looking for Paramedics to provide immediate response to emergency calls that can be both traumatic and medical in origin, and respond to calls and to General Practitioners’ (GP/Medical Doctors) referrals within the Vema Seamount territorial waters during and after the construction of the City of Mount Vema project.
 
Mount Vema citizenship is not a requirement to apply for this vacancy.
 
You will usually be the first senior autonomous independent healthcare professional on the scene, and the level of care you provide can range from dealing with life threatening conditions to minor illnesses and injuries.
 
You will need to undertake a full medical and health assessment to determine a patient's condition, provide essential treatment and transportation to a designated hospital or care facility.
 
While you may treat up to 50% of medical cases in the patient's workplace (especially during construction) or home (mostly after construction of the City of Mount Vema Project), and discuss and negotiate the best optimal outcomes for the patient, sometimes in life threatening situations a variety of interventions might be required such as:

• resuscitating and stabilising patients
• establishing and maintaining an airway in a stepwise approach
• stopping severe haemorrhage
• using high-tech equipment, such as a defibrillator, pulse oximeters and end-tidal oxygen
• applying spinal and traction splints
• administering intravenous drips, drugs and oxygen.
• working with other emergency services such as the Mount Vema Police, the Fire Rescue Services, and the Mount Vema Coast Guard.

 
You will typically work in a two-person ambulance crew alongside an ambulance technician or emergency care assistant. Sometimes you may be expected to work alone, using an emergency response speed boat (especially during construction) or a car, motorbike, or bicycle to get to a patient (after construction of the City of Mount Vema Project).
 
After one year on the job, you may be required to work as educator so that you can also support others who will work alongside you.
 
Responsibilities
Your work will vary greatly depending on the patient and their condition, but in general you will need to:

• listen to the patient and gain their consent (if possible) before undertaking any assessments and treatment
• provide medical assessments and any immediate course of treatment prior to transporting them to a designated hospital or care facility
• use technical equipment, including ventilators to assist breathing and defibrillators to treat heart failure, in order to resuscitate and stabilise
• carry out certain surgical procedures when necessary, such as cannulation to insert a cannula into a large vein and endotracheal intubation (insertion of a breathing tube into the trachea)
• monitor the patient's condition on an ongoing basis
• decide if admission to hospital or care facility is necessary and assess how to move patients and where the best location or facility is for them
• liaise with members of other emergency services, such as the police, fire rescue services or coast guard, and other ambulance services to ensure the appropriate level of response is provided
• work closely with doctors, midwives and nurses in hospital emergency departments or care facility, briefing them as their patient arrives at hospital or care facility
• liaise with allied health professionals such as radiographers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and podiatrists to ensure a team approach to a patient's care journey
• deal with members of the public and negotiate with family members present at the scene or representatives such agents or the employer
• clean, decontaminate and check boats/vehicles and equipment to maintain a state of operational readiness
• assist other healthcare professionals with patient care in hospitals or health care centres
• provide clinical advice to patients and other colleagues over the telephone from a control room
• produce thorough case notes and report the patient's history, condition and treatment to relevant hospital or care facility staff
• maintain confidentiality of patients and act in a professional manner at all times
• support and supervise student paramedics and new staff.

 
Salary and Benefits
The salary is $30,000 US dollars per year and will increase annually. 

• For team leaders or senior paramedics who have undertaken extended skills training in critical care or trauma, the salary is $40,000, including for Paramedics applying to work in primary care, or in a GP practice.
• For consultant paramedics, the salary is $50,000 US dollars per year

Salaries are paid monthly in arrears.
 
The benefits include paid medical coverage, paid vacation, sick days, holidays, and a pension plan. Benefits are only applicable after you complete three months on the job.
 
Working hours
The emergency ambulance service will operate 24 hours a day, so you will need to work shifts to cover this. You will typically do 35 hours per week, which can be made up of evenings and nights, weekends, and public holidays. You may be required for additional stand-by and on-call duties.
 
Work Conditions
Initially, you will be working from home outside Mount Vema during the first three months of training, however after the training is completed, you will be provided with a place of work on site in Mount Vema which can be onboard of a ship.
 
Requirements
If your application is accepted, you will be required to open a bank account with a Mount Vema bank, if you do not already have a Mount Vema bank account.
 
What to expect

• You will often be based at a local ambulance station and will have to respond to calls at any time of the day or night in all types of weather. You might also work in a GP surgery or minor injuries unit.
• Uniforms are worn and protective clothing, such as a high-visibility jacket, may be necessary.
• The work is physically demanding and can be psychologically and emotionally challenging. Ambulance crews are sometimes exposed to verbal and physical abuse, especially when someone is in pain, although you will receive training in managing struggle. However, it can also be an extremely rewarding role. Debriefing, chaplaincy, and counselling systems will be in place and stress management courses will be available.

 
Skills
You will need to have:

• excellent interpersonal skills for dealing with patients, their friends and family, and members of the public
• strong teamwork skills to work alongside other crew and hospital staff
• the ability to work autonomously
• oral, written and listening communication skills for reporting conditions
• skills in problem solving and critical thinking
• the ability to remain calm and focused under pressure
• initiative and decision-making skills
• a calm and reassuring approach
• a caring attitude and outgoing, helpful personality
• resilience in the face of strong emotions
• integrity and honesty
• a responsible and highly motivated approach to the work
• good general fitness to cope with lifting patients and equipment
• excellent driving skills – although this is not incredibly important at this stage, however at a later stage you may be required you to be able to drive an ambulance under emergency conditions.

 
Work experience
You will be expected to have some relevant healthcare or first aid experience, which include:

• experience in life-saving techniques
• experience as an emergency care assistant (supporting paramedics)
• office-based work in an ambulance service.