A paramedic is a healthcare professional, providing pre-hospital assessment and medical care to people with acute illnesses or injuries. In Canada, the title paramedic generally refers to those who work on land ambulances or air ambulances providing paramedic services. Paramedics are increasingly being utilized in hospitals, emergency rooms, clinics and community health care services by providing care in collaboration with registered nurses, registered/licensed practical nurses and registered respiratory therapists.
Types of paramedics and emergency medical responders
In Canada the scope of practice of paramedics and emergency medical responders is described by the National Occupational Competency Profile (NOCP) document which was developed by the Paramedic Association of Canada with financial support from the Government of Canada. The NOCP outlines four provider levels: Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Primary Care Paramedic (PCP), Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP), and Critical Care Paramedic (CCP).
National occupational competency profile (NOCP)
There is a considerable degree to inter-provincial variations on paramedic and emergency medical responder practice across Canada. To address this there is a national consensus of paramedic and emergency medical responder practice (by way of the National Occupational Competency Profile) identifies the knowledge, skills, and abilities as being most synonymous with a given level of paramedic or emergency medical responder practice. Each province retains ultimate authority in legislating the actual administration and delivery of paramedicine and its services within its own respective jurisdictions. Specific paramedic regulatory frameworks and practice is established uniquely in each of the provinces legislature and statute and varies across Canada.
Titles of paramedics may vary between provinces. For example, in Ontario, primary care paramedics post the graduation of an approved primary care paramedic education program and upon successful completion of the provincial examination process are awarded the title of Advanced Emergency Medical Care Assistant (AEMCA).
The National Occupational Competency Profile (NOCP) outlines four different competencies. The Competencies in the NOCP are described using a hierarchy of terms: competency area, general competency, specific competency and sub-competency. The framework includes the following eight master categories of paramedics and emergency medical responders: professional responsibilities, communication, health and safety, assessment and diagnostics, therapeutics, integration, transportation and health promotion and public safety.
Emergency medical responder (EMR) This is a level of practice recognized under the National Occupational Competency Profile and the Paramedic Association of Canada. EMRs staff rural ambulance stations, patient transfer services, community medical event coverage, industrial ambulances, university campus response teams, or mobile treatment centres. For many small communities, without this level of certification, the operation of a much-needed rural and remote community ambulance services might not be as feasible. EMRs working as first responders in fire departments, police departments and institutions across Canada contribute an important role in the chain of survival. It is a level of practice focused primarily on life saving methods and is generally consistent with fewer acts beyond advanced first-aid. The EMR's scope of practices include oxygen administration, oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airway adjuncts, the use and interpretation of a pulse oximeter, use and interpretation of a glucometer, blood pressure assessment by auscultation and palpation, chest auscultation, oropharyngeal airway suctioning, administration of the following oral, sublingual or inhaled medications: anti-anginal, anti-hypoglycemic agent, analgesia, platelet inhibitors (including nitroglycerin, glucose, nitrous oxide, acetylsalicylic acid, salbutamol, intravenous lines without medications or blood products). EMRs may administer naloxone and epinephrine by generally an auto-injector.
Canadian Armed Forces Combat Medics possess this certification, with additional knowledge relating to working in a combat environment, and in surgical assistance.
Primary care paramedic (PCP) Primary care paramedics (PCPs) are the entry level of paramedic practice across Canada. The scope of practice includes performing semi-automated external defibrillation, manual defibrillation, oxygen administration, ETCO2 monitoring, supraglottic airways, vascular access, cardiac monitoring such as Lead 2 interpretation and 12 Lead acquisition and interpretation, and administration of Symptom Relief Medications for a variety of emergency medical conditions (these include epinephrine, salbutamol, aspirin, nitroglycerine, naloxone, dextrose, glucagon, gravol, ketorolac, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, benadryl). PCPs may also receive additional authorization in order to perform certain skills that are normally in the scope of practice of ACPs. In some provinces PCP are able to provide pharmacological pain relief for various conditions using narcotics like Fentanyl. PCP scope also has medics carry Benzodiazepines used in treating various conditions like Lorazepam and Midazolam.
Advanced care paramedic (ACP) The Advanced Care Paramedic is a level of practitioner that is in high demand by many services across Canada. The ACP typically carries approximately 20 different medications, although the number and type of medications may vary substantially from region to region. ACPs perform advanced airway management including intubation, surgical airways, intravenous therapy, place external jugular IV lines, perform needle thoracostomy, perform and interpret 12-lead ECGs, perform synchronized and chemical cardioversion, transcutaneous pacing, perform obstetrical assessments, and provide pharmacological pain relief for various conditions. Several sites in Canada have adopted pre-hospital fibrinolytics and rapid sequence induction, and prehospital medical research has permitted a great number of variations in the scope of practice for ACPs.
Current bypass protocols include providing both PCPs and ACPs with discretionary direct 24-hour access to PCI labs, bypassing the emergency department, and representing a fundamental change in both the way that patients with S-T segment elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMI) are treated, but also profoundly affecting survival rates. as well as bypassing a closer hospitals to get an identified stroke patient to a stroke centre.
Paramedicine training overview Paramedic education, or the study of paramedicine in Canada, involves post-secondary education provided by a college or university or similar academic institution. Uniquely some programs may be offered collaboratively and shared between both academic institutions. The education provided is in the theories of paramedicine and its practice and in related subjects areas such as but not limited to anatomy, physiology, psychology, obstetrics, cardiology, pharmacology, pathology, communications, ethics, driving, research, emergency medicine theory and practical skills. Theoretical and practical training is in combination of both in hospital and pre-hospital emergency medicine clinical experiences. The didactic and clinical components of the programs may vary from province to province across Canada.
Primary care paramedic training in the western provinces Primary care paramedicine education may be a one year primary care paramedicine certificate to two year primary care paramedicine diploma program in the province of British Columbia,"EMA Licensing Board Recognized Training Programs". Saskatchewan and Manitoba."Primary Care Paramedic and Advanced Care Paramedic". Alberta provides a one year primary care paramedicine certificate and a four year baccalaureate paramedicine degree."Approved Programs".
Primary care paramedicine training in Ontario Ontario requires a two year primary care paramedicine diploma program. A 4-year Bachelor of Science in Paramedicine is offered jointly by the University of Toronto and Centennial College.
Primary care paramedicine training in Quebec Paramedicine training in the province of Quebec has been standardized and now requires all new paramedics to hold a three-year Diploma of College Studies in Emergency Prehospital Care, or Soins préhospitaliers d'urgence (SPU) in French, from a recognized CEGEP (college) program. Upon completion of this diploma and successful completion of the provincial examination, one is certified at the level of primary care paramedic (PCP).
Primary care paramedicine training in the maritime provinces Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador have a two year primary care paramedicine diploma program. Prince Edward Island provides a two year primary care paramedicine diploma program or four year baccalaureate paramedicine degree.
Advanced care paramedicine training in Canada Training as an advanced care paramedic (ACP) requires that the student be first registered as a primary care paramedic. The length of time required to complete the ACP graduate program also varies between provinces, and it is generally inversely related to the length of time required to have completed the prerequisite PCP training. Shorter primary care paramedicine programs (around one to two years) would require an additional minimum of two years of advanced care paramedicine graduate study. Graduates of longer primary care paramedicine programs (two to four years) would require an additional minimum of one year of graduate advanced care paramedicine study. In Quebec since 2015, a formal 2-year advanced care paramedic (ACP) training program was developed at Université de Montréal for experienced PCPs from Urgences-santé.
University paramedicine training There are four university Bachelor of Science in Paramedicine degree programs currently available in Canada. These programs are increasingly becoming the standard of paramedic education as the profession progresses. This would be comparable to when nursing moved from the college based program to the collaborative or university based program in Canada. These programs are often offered through partnerships between Canadian universities and colleges to enhance theory and practical training with higher education. These programs also allow bridging for registered paramedics to complete the degree program in a shorter, accelerated format. These programs currently are available in Ontario, Alberta and Prince Edward Island.
Paramedic education accreditation The accreditation of paramedic educational programs in Canada also varies from province to province. Primarily the regulatory body for paramedicine of their respective provinces reserves the right to approve of paramedic programs. Nationally, Accreditation Canada offers the most comprehensive and best known system of national accreditation for paramedics. Previously, the Canadian Medical Association accredited paramedic training programs. This accreditation model was phased out by the Canadian Medical Association. The CMA only continues to accredit physician and physician assistant education programs. The accreditation model of Accreditation Canada is an independent body, and draws from The national occupational competency profile (NOCP) as the benchmark document that details the knowledge, skills and abilities outcomes that must be possessed by paramedics or EMRs of each respective level of paramedic or EMR practice.
Specialized paramedics Training for specialization as a paramedic is most often provided by employers who select paramedics that have gone through an internal competition. There are very few specialization education programs open to the public currently. Most specializations require the applicant to already be an experienced advanced care paramedic.