Primary Care Paramedic Recruitment

Paramedics bring a lot of skills and abilities to helping our community. Some of their day-to-day duties include, but are not limited to, providing:

• Emergency medical care for ill or injured persons
• Leadership during an emergency
• Advanced pre-hospital life support, focusing on cardiovascular and respiratory systems
• Transportation for ill or injured persons, to, from and between treatment facilities
• Patient assessment and treatment according to Provincial and local standards and protocols
• Medical interventions as deemed essential by the Base Hospital, a training facility under the Centre for Paramedic Education and Research with Hamilton Health Sciences, and the Hamilton Paramedic Service including controlled drug therapy, manual defibrillation and cardiac dysrhythmia interpretation according to Provincial Medical Directives
• Interaction with members of the health care team, allied emergency care providers, the public and patients in a professional manner
• Interaction with Central Ambulance Communication Centres (CACCs) to ensure the CACC is advised of their status/location at all times
• Collaboration with medical staff and allied emergency care providers to facilitate timely treatment
• Support for a patient’s family and friends during the time of emergency care
• Participation in primary care, public health, public education, and community events as assigned
• Routine checks of vehicles and vehicle equipment to make sure they are clean, sanitary, mechanically safe and ready to respond, in accordance with local and provincial standards
• Reports of any vehicle deficiencies and assisting to correct them where qualified
• Stocking and maintaining ambulance stations in a clean and orderly state
• Written reports as required. This includes, but is not limited to, ambulance call reports, incident/occurrence reports, vehicle checklists, and any other report as deemed necessary by Hamilton Emergency Services and/or Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
• Attendance in continuing education as required
• Attendance at training and precepting of, advanced care and primary care college paramedic students
• Proof of maintaining all legislated requirements for employment and all certification requirements as set by the Base Hospital and the Hamilton Paramedic Service
• Other duties as assigned which are directly related to the major responsibilities of the job.

To become a Paramedic with the City of Hamilton you must:

• Must be a certified Primary Care Paramedic, Advanced Care Paramedic, or be eligible to become certified prior to beginning employment.
• Have a Diploma from an approved Ontario Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) training program or letter of good standing from an approved Ontario PCP training program indicating graduation date.
• If graduation was prior to 2003 must provide proof of completion of all mandatory Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care core programs via individual certificates or with a letter attesting to completion by an approved Ontario PCP Training Program.
• Have a current Basic Life Support Provider certificate or CPR HCP certificate or advanced cardiac life support certificate.
• Hold the qualification of, or have obtained a pass standing, in an advanced emergency medical care assistant examination (A-EMCA), or equivalent, as outlined in the Ambulance Act O. Reg. 257/00.
• If non A-EMCA certified, must have successfully completed an approved Ontario PCP Training Program and must achieve A-EMCA Certification within 210 days of graduating as per Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care guidelines, unless otherwise specified by the MOHLTC.
• Must hold and maintain a valid Ontario Driver's Licence that authorizes the person to drive an ambulance.
• Meet all current requirements (including medical) of the Ambulance Act and Regulations. As a condition of employment, you will be required to provide proof of the minimum requirements required as outlined in the Ambulance Act and Regulations.
• Must successfully complete and become fully certified by the Centre for Paramedic Education and Research (CPER) with Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) Base Hospital Program.
• As a condition of employment, you are required to provide proof that you are fully vaccinated (COVID-19) or provide proof of valid exemption satisfactory to the employer prior to your start date. You must acknowledge and agree to comply with any future vaccine policy requirements as an ongoing condition of employment at the City of Hamilton.
• Demonstrate the ability to read, write and speak English fluently.
• Demonstrate the ability to provide leadership and take charge in an emergency situation.
• Be in good physical health and able to lift heavy weights.
• Prove you have the ability to exercise sound judgement in emergency situations.
• Be able to work a 24-hour-day, seven-day-a-week schedule. Regular part-time status consists of 12-24 hours per week with 12 of those hours on a consistent day of the week or consistent shift(s) as determined and assigned by the City, with advance notice as required in the collective agreement.

Preference may be given to those with additional relevant education (e.g. ACLS/PALS/ITLS certification), experience and related employment (paramedic, medical transfer and other Allied Health Professions). General knowledge of the City of Hamilton and its geography may be considered an asset.

For the 2022/2023 recruitment the Hamilton Paramedic Service is piloting a Fast Track Recruitment process for eligible candidates. Candidates eligible for the experienced/accelerated recruitment process must be currently employed for a minimum of 1 year, in good standing, and hold active certification to practice at the Primary Care Paramedic level, or higher, with an Ontario Regional Base Hospital Program, and if applicable, be eligible for cross-certification with the Centre for Paramedic Education and Research (CPER).

Those who do not meet these criteria will remain in the competition and be considered in the traditional recruitment process.

Important Dates to consider for the Fast Track Recruitment Process

• Panel Interviews to be completed Mid-October
• Conditional Offers will be tentatively made at the end of October
• Firm offers will be tentatively made Mid-November
• Anticipated orientation date will be December 1, 2022

Candidates who are qualified for the written test will be contacted by e-mail and provided with further information about the exam session.

• A valid piece of government issued photo ID will be required at testing and throughout the recruitment process.
• The exam will be conducted online
• Candidates should be prepared to have access to a tablet, laptop or desktop computer with a camera and microphone using Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.

Virtual Multi-Mini interviews (vMMI's) will be conducted mid January 2023

• Those who are invited for an interview will be notified via email with detailed information.
• A valid piece of government issued photo ID will be required at the vMMIs and throughout the recruitment process.
• vMMIs will be conducted online.
• Candidates should be prepared to have access to a laptop or computer with a camera and microphone.

2^nd Interviews will be conducted mid February 2023

• Those who are invited for a 2^nd interview will be notified via email with detailed information.
• A valid piece of government issued photo ID will be required at the 2^nd Interview and throughout the recruitment process.
• Please note that due to COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, the 2^nd interview will be conducted online.
• Candidates should be prepared to have access to a laptop or computer with a camera and microphone.

Required Documents to be provided at the 2^nd Interview
The City of Hamilton Reference Consent Form will be provided to you if you are contacted for a 2nd interview. You will be required to submit the completed Reference Consent Form prior to the interview listing three (3) references. References must be employment-related in a reporting capacity. If you are currently employed as a Paramedic, one of your references must be your Paramedic Supervisor. If you are currently a Paramedic Student, or recently graduated, one of your references must be your main Preceptor. References will only be contacted if you are proceeding to the conditional offer stage in the recruitment process following the 2^nd interview.

One (1) copy of each of the following documents is required at the interview

• Current Basic Life Support Provider certificate or CPR HCP certificate or equivalents
• AEMCA certificate or letter of registration to write AEMCA examination
• Diploma from an approved Ontario Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) Training Program or letter of good standing from an approved Ontario PCP Training Program indicating graduation date
• If you are a new graduating student and have not yet received your diploma you will be required to produce a letter from your college instructor stating anticipated graduation date and verification of registration for the AEMCA examination. Upon successful completion of the AEMCA exam you would be required to bring the letter of successful completion and AEMCA Certificate to Hamilton Paramedic Service. In the event that after 210 days (unless otherwise specified by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care) post-graduation, the end of the AEMCA pending period, you have not been certified AEMCA by the Province of Ontario, your employment with the City of Hamilton will be terminated.
• If graduation was prior to 2003 you will be required to provide proof of completion of all mandatory MOHLTC core programs.  This can either be done by individual certificates or with a letter attesting to completion by an approved Ontario PCP Training Program
• Any relevant certifications (i.e. BA, BSc, ACLS, Base Hospital, PALS, BLS etc.).

Conditional job offers will tentatively be made in early March 2023 based on the number of vacancies. To be eligible to continue further in the process the following conditions must be satisfied after the conditional offer is made:

Ability Works Physical Agility Evaluation/Physical Agility Verification or OPPAT

• You will be required to obtain and pass the Ability Works or OPPAT physical assessment at your own expense and satisfactory to the City of Hamilton valid within six months of the Orientation/Training start date
• (Group 1, May 1, 2023; Group 2, May 29, 2023)

Police Vulnerable Sector Check

• You will be required to obtain at your own expense a Police Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC) from the police service which serves the Municipality in which you permanently reside, valid within six months of the Orientation/Training start date (Group 1, May 1, 2023; Group 2, May 29, 2023)
• An original must be submitted to City of Hamilton Human Resources
• In order for your application to be considered, you must not have a criminal conviction for which a pardon has not been granted at time of application and your PVSC must be satisfactory to the City of Hamilton

Blood Work, Medical and ECG

• You will be required to complete lab work
• You will be contacted by the City of Hamilton with a date and time for your third-party medical assessment
• You must successfully complete the medical evaluation to be considered further
• You must pass a physical exam (administered by our Physician) as set out by the employer specific to the work of a Primary Care Paramedic

Centre for Paramedic Education and Research (CPER) Certification

• You must successfully complete and become certified in the skills and knowledge as set out by the employer and Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) Centre for Paramedic Education and Research (CPER)
• Certification will be conducted by HHS CPER

Immunization Status and Free from Communicable Disease Proof

• Proof of Immunization as outlined in Table 1, Part A of Ambulance Service Communicable Disease Standards.
• Proof that candidate is free of communicable diseases listed in Table 1, Part B of Ambulance Service Communicable Disease Standards.
• Proof of immunization must be completed on forms supplied by the Hamilton Paramedic Service
• As a condition of employment, you are required to provide proof that you are fully vaccinated (COVID-19) or provide proof of valid exemption satisfactory to the employer prior to your start date. You must acknowledge and agree to comply with any future vaccine policy requirements as an ongoing condition of employment at the City of Hamilton.

MOHLTC Identification

• You must meet all requirements for MOHLTC Identification

Driver’s Abstract Check

• A valid Ontario Class “F” (or higher) Driver’s Licence (or provincial equivalent) satisfactory to the City of Hamilton is required as photo ID throughout the process
• A copy, front and back, of your valid Ontario Class “F” (or higher) Driver’s Licence (or provincial equivalent) must be submitted to the City of Hamilton Human Resources if you receive a conditional offer
• Your driver’s abstract will be conducted by the City of Hamilton and must be satisfactory to the City of Hamilton

Reference Checks

• Reference checks will be conducted at this point in the recruitment process. If you are currently employed as a Paramedic, one of your references must be your Paramedic Supervisor. If you are currently a Paramedic Student, one of your references must be your Preceptor.

Group 1 Orientation and Training will tentatively commence May 1, 2023 and will be approximately six (6) weeks on a Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm schedule and will be comprised of classroom instruction, either in-person, online or a combination of both depending on COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, and ride-out experience.

Group 2 Orientation and Training will tentatively commence May 29, 2023 and will be approximately six (6) weeks on a Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm schedule and will be comprised of classroom instruction, either in person, online or a combination of both depending on COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, and ride-out experience.

You will be required to be successful/pass each phase of the process in order to be placed on the Eligibility List to be hired as a Part-Time Primary Care Paramedic. Once on the Eligibility List, as vacancies arise, you will be considered for employment pursuant to your standing on the list.

Hamilton is a mix of urban, suburban and rural communities that experiences a high need for experienced Primary and Advanced Care Paramedics.

The City of Hamilton is a strong advocate for paramedic education so we have developed a college program preceptorship. We are proud to support a tradition of providing educational opportunities for Primary and Advanced Care Paramedics.

Students who are interested in a preceptorship with the Hamilton Paramedic Service should have their college coordinator contact us directly.