Emergency Medical Responder Training
Nova Scotia's first class of emergency medical responders graduated today, June 14. They will be able to assess, stabilize and transport patients to hospital. They partner with a paramedic, rather than having two paramedics staff ambulances, and this increases the number of teams available to respond to an emergency call.
Emergency medical responders can also work in teams of two, without a paramedic, in emergency department offload areas and to transfer low-risk patients who have been assessed and do not require medical care during transport. This frees up paramedics to focus on and respond to emergency calls faster. A news release about these new healthcare professionals is at https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/06/14/emergency-medical-responders-ready-respond and photos from the training program are below.
Emergency Health Services (EHS) paramedics Samantha Lamplugh, left, and Kim Smith, centre, instruct Vince McNamara, during the final stages of orientation training in the Emergency Medical Responder Program this spring. Mr. McNamara is one of program's first graduates and will join ambulance crews in a few weeks. (Communications Nova Scotia)
EHS paramedic James McMaster, left, works with Max Marchand during an ambulance orientation session, part of the Emergency Medical Responder Program. Mr. Marchand is one of the program's first graduates and will join ambulance crews in a few weeks. (Communications Nova Scotia)
EHS paramedic Heather Chappell, left, works with Lisa Harmon as she completes orientation training in the Emergency Medical Responder Program. Ms. Chappell is one of the program's first graduates and will join ambulance crews in a few weeks. (Communications Nova Scotia)