Services
The care rendered by paramedics is often the deciding factor between life and death, temporary or permanent disability, a brief confinement or prolonged hospitalization for a patient.
Paramedics must be graduates of a two-year full-time Canadian Medical Association certified paramedic program offered by a recognized post-secondary institution such as St. Lawrence College.
Primary Care Paramedics
Primary Care Paramedics provide symptom relief through the administration of six medications:
- Aspirin (Chest Pain)
- Epinephrine (Allergic Reactions, Severe Asthma and Croup)
- Glucagon
- Glucose Paste (Diabetic Emergency)
- Nitroglycerin (Chest Pain and Heart Failure)
- Ventolin (Asthma)
In addition to symptom relief, Primary Care Paramedics perform Semi-Automated External Defibrillation and other advanced skills such as 12-Lead ECG interpretation and insertion of Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA).
Advanced Care Paramedics
Advanced Care Paramedics (ACP) require an additional year of training above that of a Primary Care Paramedic. With that training, ACPs have an additional 21 medications and additional equipment to perform the following,
- Intravenous and Intraoseos fluid administration
- Chest needle thoracotomy
- Administration of cardiac resuscitative medications
- Administration of respiratory medications
- Administration of anti-seizure medications
- Use of pharmacological pain releif
- Advanced respiratory resuscitation procedures such as intubation
- Advanced trauma life support
- Advanced cardiac life support procedures such as cardiac pacing, sychronized and chemical cardioversion
