Paramedics in each state operate using different clinical guidelines, or as they are also known; the Scope of Practice. Ambulance Tasmania’s Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) for Paramedics and Intensive Care Paramedics are freely available online.
Become a Registered Paramedic in Tasmania
Paramedic career guidelines for Tasmanian residents
As part of a series of articles on becoming a Paramedic, we’re targeting those who live in the Island State. Despite the size of Tasmania, there are many opportunities for career development in the pre-hospital emergency health care sector. They offer a wide range of career and lifestyle options to suit individual knowledge, interests, skills and goals.
The Tasmanian Ambulance Service is part of Tasmania’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Offering great opportunity for career development diversity and professional development, the ambulance service is perfect for those who are considering taking the first steps into health care.
Currently, the Ambulance Service has 8 urban locations and 14 branch stations across the state, as well as air ambulance, wilderness and helicopter rescue services. Te role of a paramedic in Tasmania is always challenging and fulfilling and prospective paramedics will enjoy a competitive salary, flexible employment conditions and further opportunities for career advancement within the service.
Paramedics represent one of the fastest growing health-professional groups in Australia and are integral to the quality of a diverse range of health and well-being services across urban, rural and remote island settings. At the heart of the the Tasmanian community, paramedics also enjoy a career that can be very rewarding on some many levels, especially personal levels.
The Tasmanian Paramedic
Working closely with acute care hospitals, health facilities, interstate and international organisations such as Tasmania Police, Search and Rescue Division, Fire Services and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, as a Tasmanian Paramedic you’ll be experience a dynamic career, operating within a broad scope of patient caseloads.
If you’re already a qualified paramedic and looking for an exciting and rewarding new opportunity, the Ambulance Tasmania would like to hear from you. Paramedics represent one of the fastest growing health-professional groups in the State.
Support from the Tasmanian Ambulance Service
The Tasmanian Ambulance Service encourages innovative developments in paramedic practice through research: by fostering collaborative arrangements, and by supporting ongoing professional development.
This includes:
- supportive practice environments for graduates and newly qualified paramedics
- dedicated educational and clinical resources for students
- comprehensive orientation and induction in the practice area to suit your individual needs
- ongoing professional development incentives and opportunities, including postgraduate study
- career pathways structure based on merit
- contributing to new directions in pre-hospital care, enhancing the profession and the quality of healthcare provision in Tasmania.
Tasmanian ambulance volunteers
Becoming a volunteer in the Tasmanian Ambulance Service is a great way to find out more about the opportunities available and to be able to give back to your community.
Volunteer Ambulance Officers :
- are often the first responders to the scene of medical emergencies in rural Tasmania.
- work alongside Ambulance Tasmania paramedics.
- provide patient care in accordance within approved Clinical Practice Guidelines.
- operate Ambulance Tasmania vehicles.
- complete Patient Care Records.
- hand over care to arriving ambulance paramedic crews or to medical staff at a receiving hospital.
Ambulance Tasmania is always looking for committed, caring people join our team of Volunteer Ambulance Officers, especially in rural communities.
For more information, choose a topic from the menu on the left of this page or download an Information Sheet on volunteering with Ambulance Tasmania.
As an example, view the latest volunteer ambulance officers association newsletter here.
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Ambulance Tasmania Volunteer Gateway (vGate) |
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Volunteer Ambulance Officers Association of Tasmania (VAOAT) |
Training and research
The Tasmanian Ambulance Service offers paramedic programs with dedicated educational and clinical resources such as:
- Intensive Care (IC) Paramedic
- Flight Paramedic and fixed and rotary wing
- Wilderness response capacity
- Urban Search and Rescue USAR and Chemical Biological Radiological (CBR)
Rosters and work hours
The Tasmanian Ambulance Service is committed to ensuring their employees are able to maintain a positive balance between work,
family and lifestyle. They aim to balance operational requirements with your lifestyle needs.
All staff across the service in major centres work a “4×4” roster system, whereby they work two ten-hour day shifts,
followed by two fourteen-hour night shifts, then four rostered days off. Of course, these hours can be subject to change owing to the variable and unpredictable nature of the role of a Paramedic.
Ambulance Tasmania Clinical Practice Guidelines
Graduate Paramedic Program – Tasmanian Ambulance Service
The University of Tasmania (UTAS) offers the Bachelor in Paramedic Science degree, which is the essential requirement for employment in the Ambulance Tasmania service. With an initiative for national registration of all Paramedics expected in 2018, the requirement for all Paramedic to hold a degree to practice can not be ignored.
Find out more about how to get a Bachelor degree in Paramedic Science.
For those who are looking to experience the pre-hospital emergency care sector in a first-responder role, then work their way into higher education, there are alternative qualifications for consideration.
Going straight to university to study Paramedics, may not be the preferred option for many, owing to the costs and time frames involved. One of the entry-level pathways into paramedics is via the HLT41120 – Certificate IV in Health Care which is the foundational course to completing the HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care
The Certificate IV qualification delivers a nationally recognised certificate enabling the student to work in pre-hospital health care as a Basic Life Support medic, whereas the Diploma, being a more advanced qualification, allows for Advanced Care Paramedic roles.
If you’re looking to launch your emergency health career in an exciting and challenging environment, then the Tasmanian
Ambulance Service might be just the opportunity you’re looking for.
Whatever your aspirations, dreams and goals, there are immense opportunities, rewards and lifestyle options available to you are well worth considering.
To be eligible you must have:
- physical fitness, medical suitability and psychological characteristics appropriate to the duties of a paramedic
- current drivers licence
- Bachelor of Health Science (Paramedic) or equivalent as recognised by the Director of Tasmanian Ambulance Service
About the Australian Paramedical College
The Australian Paramedical College is the largest private pre-hospital health care training provider in Australia, we can help you to achieve your paramedical pathway training and career goals.
We offer three courses in the emergency healthcare sector:
- HLT31120 – Certificate III in Non-emergency Patient Transport
- HLT41120 – Certificate IV in Health Care
- HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care
Our nationally recognised paramedical pathway training provides a flexible and affordable pathway to employment in the private sector, or as a stepping stone to university to study a Bachelor of Paramedic Science. APC offers you the opportunity to become an emergency healthcare practitioner, regardless of your educational background. We believe you should still pursue your goals even if your school or college grades have previously prevented you from following a career path you know you’d be good at.
today, more than ever, anything is possible when you put your mind to it. With advances in online learning and teaching methodologies, it’s now easier than ever to fit study around your current lifestyle. A few of hours here and there each week is often all it takes to begin your studies. There’s no reason why you can not follow your dreams and become the person who saves lives and contributes to the well-being of their community.