EMS Volunteer (Operations)

Job Summary

The mission and purpose of this position is to provide caring and compassionate pre-hospital care to the sick and injured. EMS volunteers also provide routine transportation services to the citizens of south central Pennsylvania. 

Summary of essential job functions

Responds to emergency and non-emergency incidents to provide efficient, effective, immediate, and appropriate care to critically ill and sick patients and transports them to appropriate medical facilities. 

Obtain information from the dispatch center and safely operates unit to the scene of the emergency in the quickest and safest route depending on traffic and weather conditions. 

Provides initial and ongoing scene size up to ensure the safety of the crew, patient, and bystanders. 

Makes contact with the patient and performs a detailed physical assessment including patient history. Upon evaluation makes an initial care plan and executes that plan based on all applicable protocols and medical command orders.

Reassures patient and bystanders by operating in an efficient and confident manner. 

Complies with all protocols and regulations involving handling the deceased. 

Complies with all federal, state, and local regulations involving privacy. 

Provides detailed written and verbal reports to higher level providers and the receiving healthcare facility. 

Restocks ambulance and ensures that it is ready to respond at all times. 

Maintains a working knowledge of all applicable protocols. 

Completes accurate and timely reports from any patient contact. 

Completes any and all supporting documentation as required by the organization. 

Maintains a neat and orderly station by ensuring all station duties are completed. 

Minimum requirements

High School Diploma/General Education Diploma or currently in a program

Must be 18 years of age to perform on an ambulance as an independent provider per Pennsylvania Department of Health

Must have certification to meet scope of practice

Current Healthcare Provider CPR

Criminal Background & Child Abuse Check

Physical Abilities required

Must be able to occasionally lift 40 pounds from floor to waist

Must be able to perform a maximum lift of 40 pounds from floor to 45 inches

Must be able to carry 40 pounds for at least 50 feet

Must be able to push 63 pounds at chest height

Must be able to pull 124 pounds at chest height

Must be able to step up and step down at least a 21 inch step

Other abilities required

Problem Sensitivity: Must have the ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. 

Oral Expression: Must have the ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Inductive Reasoning: Must have the ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions. 

Oral Comprehension: Must have the ability to listen and understand information and ideas presented through spoken works and sentences. 

Deductive Reasoning: Must have the ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Speech Clarity: Must have the ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Speech Recognition: Must have the ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Written Expression: Must have the ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. 

Written Comprehension: To the ability to read and understand information and ideas.

Skills:

Active Listening: Must be able to give full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting, at inappropriate times. 

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. 

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. 

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people. 

Social Perceptiveness: Being Aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do. 

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. 

Knowledge:

Medical: Must have knowledge of the information and techniques needed to perform pre-hospital diagnosis of human injuries and diseases. This includes properly identifying signs, symptoms, and treatment options

Psychology: Must have knowledge of human behavior and performance, and a basic understanding of how people would react in stressful and traumatic situations. 

Customer and Personal Service: Must have knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs recognition, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

English Language: Must have knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of compositions, and grammar. 

Anatomy & Physiology: Must have knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology and be able to identify main components of the human body and understand how the body functions. 

Shifts:

Will vary depending on when the volunteer is available. 

Working Conditions: 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works near moving mechanical parts and in outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, extreme, cold and heat. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. EMS incidents will occasionally involve volatile and stressful situations. 

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.