Job description Emergency Medical Attendant (EMA) in Canada

Find out what work is like for an emergency medical attendant (EMA) in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Paramedical occupations (NOC 32102).

Paramedical occupations

Description

Workers in paramedical occupations administer pre-hospital emergency medical care to patients with injuries or medical illnesses and transport them to hospitals or other medical facilities for further medical care. They are employed by private ambulance services, hospitals, fire departments, government departments and agencies, manufacturing firms, mining companies and other private sector establishments. Paramedics who are supervisors are included in this unit group.

Work week duration

Paramedical occupations usually work more than 40 hours per week.
More than 40 hours

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Paramedical occupations have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • Assess extent of injuries or medical illnesses of trauma victims, patients with respiratory disease and stress, overdose and poisoning victims, industrial accident victims and other ill or injured individuals to determine emergency medical treatment
  • Administer pre-hospital emergency care to patients such as oxygen therapy, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), spinal immobilization, bandaging and splinting
  • Establish and maintain intravenous treatment (IV), apply adjunctive equipment for ventilation and circulation complications, administer medications and provide other advanced emergency treatment to patients
  • Transport patients by air, land or water to hospital or other medical facility for further medical care
  • Collaborate with ambulance dispatch centres, hospital staff, police, firefighters and family members to ensure relevant information is collected and proper treatment is administered
  • Document and record nature of injuries and illnesses and treatment provided
  • Assist hospital personnel with provision of medical treatment, if necessary
  • Maintain emergency care equipment and supplies
  • May train and supervise other workers in this unit group
  • May assist with triage of emergency patients.

Physical demands Help - Physical Demands

  • Standing
  • Handling material manually
  • Walking and running
  • Sitting

Physical demands

Physical demands are the physical activities that the job requires the worker to do. Physical demands are selected according to the likeliness that workers will have to perform them for at least half of the time they spend at work.

Workplaces and employers

Here are the typical workplaces where Paramedical occupations are employed and some of their main characteristics:

  • Manufacturing firms
  • Private sector companies
  • Hospitals
  • Mining companies
  • Private ambulance services
  • Government departments and agencies
  • Fire departments

Work environment Help - Physical Work Environment

  • Standard safety equipment
  • Indoors, environmentally controlled
  • Biological agents
  • In an enclosed vehicle or equipment
  • Skin injury
  • Outside, exposed to weather
  • Dangerous chemical substances
  • Extreme temperatures
  • Hazardous equipment, machinery, tools

Physical proximity from others Help - Physical proximity from others

  • Physically touching or very close

Work environment

The work environment refers to the physical setting in which people work. The characteristics and conditions of the work environment are selected according to the likeliness that workers will be exposed to them at least once a week.

Physical proximity from others

Physical proximity from others refers to the physical distance between individuals in the workplace. The likeliness that the job requires to perform tasks while being physically close to other people is rated on a scale with 3 levels: "Somewhat close", "Close" and "Very close".

Related job titles

Here are some other related job titles that are found in the same occupational category (NOC 32102), and a list of similar occupations:

  • advanced care paramedic
  • ambulance attendant
  • ambulance services supervisor
  • critical care paramedic
  • emergency medical technician (EMT)
  • emergency medical technologist - paramedic (EMT-P)
  • paramedic
  • paramedic emergency medical technician
  • primary care paramedic

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Paramedical occupations in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These occupations involve similar core qualifications but involve different responsibilities. To see more similar occupations, use the Job Transition Tool.

Sources Occupational and Skills Information System & National Occupational Classification

Labour Market Information Survey
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