Ambulance attendant

JOB

Health services| Law enforcement and security

Ambulance attendants assess injuries after an accident, provide first aid and transport patients to a hospital if necessary. The job involves response in emergencies such as car or plane crashes, environmental accidents or hurricanes. Ambulance attendant is a certified professional title.

Ambulance attendants work in ambulances, in emergency medical airplanes or on ships with rescue workers. Work is usually done in collaboration with other healthcare professionals as well as the police and/or fire brigade.

Main tasks

• providing first aid or resuscitation
• emergency diagnosis and treatment during emergency transport
• monitoring the patient and recording their condition
• assessing the severity of illness or injury and prioritizing
• driving an ambulance to a specific location according to the emergency hotline instructions
• disinfecting and cleaning the ambulance after treating patients
• administering medication in consultation with a physician

Competence requirements

Ambulance attendants need to be able to work under considerable pressure related to reaching people in very difficult situations. An interest in medicine or nursing is desirable, along with reliability in work, an ability to perform a variety of tasks and showing empathy.

Ambulance attendants and paramedics receive an operating license from the Director of Health and must have completed formally approved specialist training in emergency transport. In the work of an ambulance attendant, it is important to know professional restrictions and respect confidentiality when appropriate.

The work entails the use of equipment such as ECGs, defibrillators, respirators and more that can be used to assist patients. Ambulance attendants must be in good physical shape, mentally and physically, in addition to having a driving license for larger vehicles.

Study

The basic training of ambulance attendants is a 130-hour course supervised by the School of Ambulance Services. The study is both theoretical and practical, but among other things, an internship period in an emergency medical vehicle must be completed.

After 36 months in the job as a general ambulance attendant, most attend a 320-hour course in emergency transport, but it is also possible to study as a paramedic abroad. In addition, ambulance attendants attend various specialized courses, such as emergency transport in the wilderness or emergency services for children.

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