Emergency care assistant jobs

Assistant in emergency medical services

Emergency care assistants, often known as ECAs, are members of the emergency ambulance teams who respond to 999 calls. They operate alongside paramedics.

a day at the office

Alongside a paramedic, an emergency care assistant responds to cries for aid at the scene of accidents and other emergencies, assisting the paramedic in providing patients with potentially life-saving treatment and transporting patients to hospitals as necessary. They respond to each and every kind of accident and emergency, often traveling long miles and making use of the skilled emergency driving abilities they've acquired in order to be at the site as quickly as humanly feasible.

You will provide vital emergency treatment, such as the following, while working directly under the supervision of a paramedic.

bringing under control severe hemorrhage

addressing injuries such as fractures and wounds

providing care for people who may have had spinal injuries

You will be trained to use a defibrillator to revive patients who have cardiac failure, and you will also be taught how to administer a variety of medications.

ECAs are required to take action in any crisis that may arise. There is a high probability that many crises will be traumatic and include persons who have been gravely injured and profoundly traumatized. Take, for instance:

incidents on the road resulting in several people suffering catastrophic injuries.

someone who has had a heart attack while in the middle of a crowded shopping center

a senior citizen who has been injured after falling down the steps

a situation involving domestic violence

a critically ill infant that is being sent to a pediatric specialty center

ECAs collect pertinent information from witnesses or other people present at the situation, some of whom may be very distraught or hostile.

ECAs are responsible for driving emergency vehicles, but they also inspect their own cars at the start of each shift and periodically during it to ensure that they are clean, that they have fuel, and that they have the appropriate supplies. Other responsibilities include filling out paperwork and communicating with other employees using various means of technology (such as radios and cellphones).

ECAs collaborate with other members of the ambulance service, such as the workers in the control center, in addition to working closely with paramedics. They collaborate not only with medical professionals but also with personnel from the many other emergency services, such as the police and fire departments.

In a typical week, you'll put in 37.5 hours of work, and your schedule will be broken up into shifts. Throughout the whole year, shifts take place at all times of the day and night, seven days a week. Therefore, the work schedule of an ECA consists of days, evenings, nights, early mornings, weekends, and bank holidays. When working situations require it, ECAs need to be able to do their duties outside regardless of the weather.

How much money can I expect to make?

You will also get savings on health services and have access to our excellent pension system, in addition to having 27 days of yearly vacation in addition to bank holidays.

Entry requirements

There are no predetermined prerequisites to fulfill in order to become an ECA. Literacy and numeracy are two skills that are highly valued by most businesses. Qualifications such as GCSEs, NVQs, or equivalents may be required by certain employers. Experience in the appropriate field may be required by certain employers. For instance, working with senior citizens or persons with disabilities, either in a paid capacity or in a volunteer one. Work in first aid, such as volunteering with organizations like St. John Ambulance or the British Red Cross, would also be beneficial.

ECAs inspect their vehicle at the beginning of each shift as well as periodically during it to ensure that it is clean, has gasoline, and is supplied with the appropriate supplies.

If you want to drive an ambulance, you need to have a complete driving license that allows you to drive manually. If you took and passed your driver's license exam after 1996, you may be required to complete additional training before operating bigger vehicles or transporting passengers. Because various ambulance service trusts utilize a variety of vehicle sizes, you need to double verify which vehicle categories are required on your driver's license.

Must have talents

You will need to be in order to:

capable of rapidly grasping the context of a situation

calm in tough circumstances

possessing both confidence and reassurance

robust in the face of the intense feelings that other individuals exhibit

capable of following directions precisely

capable of working both alone and in a group

be willing to go into circumstances that are unknown or unexpected.

talents in verbal and nonverbal communication

strong driving abilities

organisational skills

to be able to operate various pieces of apparatus and machinery

Training and professional advancement

The first training for new ECAs is provided by every ambulance service trust and typically lasts between six and nine weeks. This encompasses:

maneuvering and manipulation procedures

first help in an urgent situation

fundamental patient skills

safe driving tactics

Assessments both in the classroom and in the real world are included in training. After successfully completing these exams, you will be assigned to a certain ambulance station. First, you get your bearings under the watchful eye of an experienced supervisor, and then you do it alone.

Where are you able to go with this role?

You have the potential to go through the ranks and become a team leader or supervisor. You would be in charge of a group of ECAs and be responsible for delegating work as well as creating shift rotas.

You might submit an application to get training as a paramedic. Before being allowed to enroll in a program to become a paramedic, you will need to first demonstrate that you can succeed on the admission examinations and fulfill any other prerequisites.