Paramedics

(NOC 3234)

in All Health

Paramedics provide pre-hospital emergency medical care to patients and transport them to hospitals or other medical facilities for further medical attention. They work for private ambulance services, hospitals, fire departments, government departments and agencies, manufacturing firms, mining companies and other private sector businesses. Paramedics who are supervisors are included in this group. A Paramedic Level I may work as part of a ground ambulance crew, emergency department triage, or dispatch communications. A Paramedic Level III may work as part of a ground ambulance crew, dispatch communications, emergency department paramedic, or flight crew. A basic life support (BLS) crew consists of two Paramedic Level I's, while an advanced life support (ALS) crew must have at least one Paramedic Level III.

Job Outlook

Good

Read more

  • Estimate Strong growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 175 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Low rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Health

  • Estimate 3550 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 6335 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

There is a growing need for emergency medical services in the province, in part due to the aging population. The majority of newly-trained paramedics, or those relocating to the province, are placed in communities around the province, as filling positions in these areas has been difficult in the past due to a limited labour pool. The job market in Halifax and surrounding areas is more competitive, and these positions are often rewarded to experienced paramedics already employed with Emergency Health Services. Wage competitiveness with other jurisdictions is becoming a growing issue for retention. Current recruitment efforts include looking outside the province for trained paramedics.

Hourly Pay

$23.00

Minimum

$30.00

Median

$38.00

Maximum

Annual Pay

$20,582

Minimum

$66,980

Median

$92,591

Maximum

Compared to: All Health

Hourly Pay

$16.70

Minimum

$26.60

Median

$43.30

Maximum

Annual Pay

$10,740

Minimum

$43,853

Median

$88,944

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Paramedics provide pre-hospital emergency medical care to patients and transport them to hospitals or other medical facilities for further medical attention. They work for private ambulance services, hospitals, fire departments, government departments and agencies, manufacturing firms, mining companies and other private sector businesses. Paramedics who are supervisors are included in this group.

A Paramedic Level I may work as part of a ground ambulance crew, emergency department triage, or dispatch communications. A Paramedic Level III may work as part of a ground ambulance crew, dispatch communications, emergency department paramedic, or flight crew. A basic life support (BLS) crew consists of two Paramedic Level I's, while an advanced life support (ALS) crew must have at least one Paramedic Level III.

Job duties

Workers in this group:

  • 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 like 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.
  • Work with ambulance dispatch centres, hospital staff, police, firefighters, and family members to make sure relevant information is collected and proper treatment is administered.
  • Document and record nature of injuries and illnesses and treatment provided.
  • Help hospital personnel with medical treatment if necessary.
  • Maintain ambulances and emergency care equipment and supplies.
  • May train and supervise other workers in this group.
  • May help triage emergency patients.

Sample job titles

  • advanced emergency medical assistant
  • ambulance attendant
  • emergency medical assistant
  • emergency medical attendant (EMA)
  • emergency medical technician - paramedic/advanced care paramedic (EMT - P/ACP)
  • emergency medical technician - primary care paramedic (EMT - PCP)
  • emergency medical technician (EMT)
  • emergency medical technologist - paramedic (EMT-P)
  • medical technician
  • paramedic

Skills

  • Paramedics work in a physically demanding environment and must maintain a high level of strength and fitness. Paramedics are often involved in highly stressful situations that require the ability to make accurate, rapid decisions that can greatly affect the health of a patient. Effective communication skills are essential as the paramedic must routinely interact with patients, family members, health care providers, and other emergency services including fire and police agencies.

Job requirements

  • A one- to three-year college, hospital-based or other recognized paramedical or emergency medical technology program is required.
  • To work as a Paramedic in Nova Scotia you must complete a recognized program in emergency medical technology along with supervised practical training.
  • Licensing by a regulatory body is required in Nova Scotia.
  • Those operating emergency vehicles require an appropriate class of licence.

Other considerations

  • People in these jobs are usually required to work irregular hours, evenings, weekends, and holidays.

By the numbers

Quick look

1,240

employed in 2016

91.5%

employed full-time

0.0%

self employed

38.3%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
61.7%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
37

median age

Compared to: All Health

36,515

employed in 2016

75.7%

employed full-time

9.6%

self employed

83.6%
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16.4%
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43.5

median age

Where will I likely work?

36.4%

Halifax

$67,787 median annual income
18.2%

North Shore

$70,711 median annual income
17.0%

Cape Breton

$66,916 median annual income
16.2%

Annapolis Valley

$71,698 median annual income
12.1%

Southern

$64,397 median annual income

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

90.7%

Health care and social assistance

6.3%

Public administration

1.3%

Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

0.8%

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

0.8%

Finance and insurance

What is the age of Employment?

33.0%

35-44

32.0%

25-34

19.0%

45-54

9.0%

15-24

6.0%

55-64

1.0%

65+

Compared to: All Health

24.0%

25-34

23.9%

45-54

21.9%

35-44

18.4%

55-64

7.7%

15-24

Top levels of education

63.3%

College Diploma

$66,454 median annual income
15.3%

Bachelor

$71,435 median annual income
8.5%

Trade Certification

$66,122 median annual income
6.5%

Diploma Below Bachelor

$77,266 median annual income
4.8%

High school

$69,235 median annual income

Compared to: All Health

38.4%

College Diploma

$40,033 median annual income
27.1%

Bachelor

$61,668 median annual income
8.7%

Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary, Optometry

$81,191 median annual income
6.8%

High school

$24,829 median annual income
5.1%

Master

$69,296 median annual income

Education & training

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT Paramedic)

College or Trades Program

These programs prepare students, under the remote supervision of physicians, to recognize, assess, and manage medical emergencies in prehospital settings and to supervise ambulance personnel. They include courses in basic, intermediate, and advanced EMT procedures, emergency surgical procedures, medical triage, rescue operations, crisis scene management and personnel supervision, equipment operation and maintenance, patient stabilization, monitoring, and care, drug administration, identification and preliminary diagnosis of diseases and injuries, communication and computer operations, basic anatomy, physiology, pathology, and toxicology, and professional standards and regulations.

Institutions providing this program

Medavie HealthEd - Dartmouth

Dartmouth, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

Regulations

Paramedic

Right to Title and Practice: This job is regulated. The job title is protected, and you may not use it without a professional licence. A licence shows that the holder has met provincial requirements and is required to legally do this work.

Regulating body:
College of Paramedics of Nova Scotia
Halifax, NS

Contacts

Nova Scotia Emergency Health Services
Halifax, NS

Additional resources