Emergency Medical Controller

Sisu200

Would like to know more about this position, would appreciate anybody out there who can fill me in on the Job and what its like to work as an EMC,

Elessar

Afaik it's working full-time in a communications center as kind of a dispatch for the ambulance service. I.e. you answer calls from the public who have dialled 999, find out what's wrong, get the address, tell them what to do and dispatch an ambulance to scene.

I believe you have to undergo full Paramedic training. I think aswell, if a major incident occurs you would have to drive out to scene in one of the mobile communications trucks and work from there.

Not everybody's cup of tea.

Bang Bang

Elessar wrote: »

Afaik it's working full-time in a communications center as kind of a dispatch for the ambulance service. I.e. you answer calls from the public who have dialled 999, find out what's wrong, get the address, tell them what to do and dispatch an ambulance to scene.

I believe you have to undergo full Paramedic training. I think aswell, if a major incident occurs you would have to drive out to scene in one of the mobile communications trucks and work from there.

Not everybody's cup of tea.

New EMC's DO NOT undertake full Paramedic training.

Job description as described otherwise. There is also routine patient transport calls to be taken care of too. This is coordination the transfer of patients from one medical faciltiy to another or discharges from hospital to a home address or nursing home for example.

Elessar

What level of training do they receive?

Bang Bang

Elessar wrote: »

What level of training do they receive?

Typing/communication skills. The ins and outs of the vehicle tracking system, the Ambulance service CAD dispatch system. Rough, very rough knowledge of catchment areas.

There's is no medical or even as much as basic first aid training given.

This has been recognised as a problem for responding crews because new generation controllers have no training in medical priority. For example a doctor gives in a call as an M.I. and the new controllers are not thought what these abbreviations mean.

In the past controllers came from Paramedics on the road. If you were injured or had spent many years on the road then you applied to go into the control room. You took a bundle of knowledge in there with you.

But now since EMC's are recruited from the street we have lost that background knowledge that a lot feel is needed in a controller.

Elessar

Wait, so an EMC cannot tell a caller how to do CPR in the event of an arrest? That doesn't make any sense, even for the HSE.

Bang Bang

Elessar wrote: »

Wait, so an EMC cannot tell a caller how to do CPR in the event of an arrest? That doesn't make any sense, even for the HSE.

That's the way it is unfortunatly.
Although there are still some controllers who were originally on the road, as these retire they are replaced with controllers with no medical training whatsoever.

There is the MPDS system in place but it's not used everywhere and it's certainly not used in the Eastern Region.
This system prompts the controller with instruction on certain treatments, CPR for example.
It also allows the controller to "grade" calls which is an excellent facility, when used, but it isn't (used).

Sisu200

Well Lads, thanks for the info, I need some info if you could help me, I have got through to the interview stage of the EMC in the HSE, If you could give me some info on the CAD system, how the EMC interacts whilst dispatching ambulances, how to prioritise different calls, how the rationalisation of the HSE will affect Amulance C&C centers throughout Ireland and any other info would be great, thanks in advance, sisu

Bang Bang

Sisu200 wrote: »

Well Lads, thanks for the info, I need some info if you could help me, I have got through to the interview stage of the EMC in the HSE, If you could give me some info on the CAD system, how the EMC interacts whilst dispatching ambulances, how to prioritise different calls, how the rationalisation of the HSE will affect Amulance C&C centers throughout Ireland and any other info would be great, thanks in advance, sisu

Sisu you should really have arranged a visit to the control room in your area by now so you could become familiar with the systems in use.
What part of the country are you based? We may be able to arrange a visit for you.
I could probably sort something for you in the Eastern Region.

Sisu200

Bang Bang, would be great if that could be arranged, I am an hour South from Dublin, have been trying to get in to have a look around with no success, people on holidays etc etc

Bang Bang

Sisu200 wrote: »

Bang Bang, would be great if that could be arranged, I am an hour South from Dublin, have been trying to get in to have a look around with no success, people on holidays etc etc

PM me your name and contact details and we'll sort it.

darragh o meara

Interview results out tomorrow

Sisu200

Results are surely out and I am happy, got placed on the panel and it's great:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Hope everyone got what they wanted:)

However I only got placed on the panel with the Help and Support of people on Boards.ie:)

darragh o meara

Hi Sisu, Where were you placed on the panel? Best of luck in the job. B your name you sound like your from a Military background..

Bang Bang

Sisu200 wrote: »

Results are surely out and I am happy, got placed on the panel and it's great:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Hope everyone got what they wanted:)

However I only got placed on the panel with the Help and Support of people on Boards.ie:)

Delighted for you, well done;)

bocboc

Anyone know when NAS may start recruiting from this panel?

Sisu200

bocboc wrote: »

Anyone know when NAS may start recruiting from this panel?

AFAIK there will be no movement until at least Chrismas, this is what I have been told, the last panel is all used up, and the new panel is now in effect

Sisu200

Sisu200 wrote: »

AFAIK there will be no movement until at least Chrismas, this is what I have been told, the last panel is all used up, and the new panel is now in effect

What are the chances of that happening, the panel for this is on the move

First letters/emails of interest out today to be sent back by next Friday:)

Sisu200

Sisu200 wrote: »

What are the chances of that happening, the panel for this is on the move

First letters/emails of interest out today to be sent back by next Friday:)

Never count the chickens before they hatch, got a text from the HSE this morning, after sending in the letters last week, everything is now on hold for EMC role, unbelieveable, I wonder is this done on purpose, get your hopes up and then pull the rug from under ya, anyway will sit tight for another long while:(

Bang Bang

There will be two vacancies in the Dublin control centre at the beginning of October because two EMC's there were successful in being placed on the Trainee Paramedic panel and will start training in October.
But, the Kildare control centre is due to close down with operations moving to the Dublin control. Staff in Kildare will have to be relocated to Dublin or redeployed to other duties.
Not everyone will opt to be relocated so a vancancy may still arise.

Sisu200

Thanks for the update bang bang, will keep the aul fingers crossed, hopefully things will move soon

lady_emd

hi all,
can anyone tell me how you go about getting on the panel for an EMC please?? Thanks in advance.:)

darragh o meara

lady_emd wrote: »

hi all,
can anyone tell me how you go about getting on the panel for an EMC please?? Thanks in advance.:)

Keep an eye in the publicjobs.ie website for recruitment which to be honest doesn't come up too often. If you qualify ( leaving cert, c1&d1 driving licence and over 20 wpm typing ) you can apply online. They then run a selection test which includes a typing test and a test to check your call handling skills ie. your listening to a 999 call and you have to take down all the details and decide which service to send and if the call is genuine. You also have to decide if you should divert a crew from one job to your call. Its kinda complicated but you'll get a good brief beforehand.

If your successful you'll get called for an interview where if your successful you can be placed on a panel. It's not an easy job to get. The interview is the toughest part of the process and if I was to give some advice make sure and arrange a visit to an emergency control room and learn as much as you can about the run of the place and the structure of how the process goes from first receiving the call to actioning the call to wrapping it up and moving onto next call.

drill

From what i have heard,The Hse will be recruiting at least 60-70 calltaker and dispatchers for the new national control centre in Tallaght and unknown numbers the second national control in Ballyshannon.
Recruitment drive is suppose to start October this year with a selection process as outlined above for a start date sometime in the new year!!

darragh o meara

drill wrote: »

From what i have heard,The Hse will be recruiting at least 60-70 calltaker and dispatchers for the new national control centre in Tallaght and unknown numbers the second national control in Ballyshannon.
Recruitment drive is suppose to start October this year with a selection process as outlined above for a start date sometime in the new year!!

I'd imagine that's what the last recruitment drive was for. As far as I'm aware very few on the last panel very taken on yet. Recruitment anywhere in the public service this year is going to be near non existent, plus there is going to be a transfer of staff from the control room that's closing down.

Sisu200

darragh o meara wrote: »

I'd imagine that's what the last recruitment drive was for. As far as I'm aware very few on the last panel very taken on yet. Recruitment anywhere in the public service this year is going to be near non existent, plus there is going to be a transfer of staff from the control room that's closing down.

I am on the panel for this and it is true, as said above, a national panel has been created from the last recruitment drive, I got a letter stating that the plan is to have a new center in Talaght, Sandyford, there has been a total of 3 controllers hired since 2009, as for 60 to 70 controllers, I have not heard this, redoployment will be a big drive for the new center with positions only becoming availible if controllers dont move, and wish to be redployed within the HSE

drill

Well with Navan , Wexford ,Limerick, Tullamore, Cork, Kerry and Castlebar due to close and Dublin relocating, with staff being offered relocation with in Nas/HSE it is unlikely most of the staff will choose to move to Tallaght or Ballyshannon Cant see many if any from Cork/Kerry/Limerick will travel the distance !

lady_emd

Thanks all for yout help. Wonder when they'll actually close the other centres, thought castlebar and kerry closed last year?


Darragh o Meara- do you still need a c1 AND D1 licence. Thought I heard somewhere they got rid of one of them and only need to have one and intention to get the other or something like that?

Sisu - u get that letter lately from the HSE bout them employing from panel? I thought with this moratorium (not entirely sure exacty what it is) but thought they weren't hiring anyone new at all as they werent even letting people who had been told they had jobs start in their new positions?

Sisu200

lady_emd wrote: »

Thanks all for yout help. Wonder when they'll actually close the other centres, thought castlebar and kerry closed last year?


Darragh o Meara- do you still need a c1 AND D1 licence. Thought I heard somewhere they got rid of one of them and only need to have one and intention to get the other or something like that?

Sisu - u get that letter lately from the HSE bout them employing from panel? I thought with this moratorium (not entirely sure exacty what it is) but thought they weren't hiring anyone new at all as they werent even letting people who had been told they had jobs start in their new positions?

I did get a letter stating that a national panel has been created, and where I have been placed, there have been offers lately, 2 I am aware of for positions, I turned down an offer about 4 months ago (Personal Circumstances) but I am thankfully still on the panel, you do need the C1 and D1 licence for this role, the C&C vehicle is driven by controllers, with the new center going ahead, it looks as if the recruitment drive will go ahead, the moratorium is the restriction placed by the last government and this goverment to stall the hiring of staff across all sectors of the public service, there is however some recruiting for necessary staff

Sisu200

OMG I got notification of 6 EMC Positions for the North Leinster region, it's great ot see some movement on this, anyone on here get the notification?

adam88

Sisu200 wrote: »

OMG I got notification of 6 EMC Positions for the North Leinster region, it's great ot see some movement on this, anyone on here get the notification?

Have ye been giving jobs or are they just letting ye know