Professional Standards
Oxford County paramedics are qualified to perform a wide host of treatments and interventions.
Oxford County paramedics are highly trained and very skilled healthcare professionals who respond to emergencies throughout the County, providing advanced assessment, initiating pre-hospital medical treatment and diligent patient care throughout transport.
The skills that Paramedics are certified to deliver are detailed in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 the Ambulance Act of Ontario (O. Reg 257/00):
LIST OF CONTROLLED ACTS THAT MAY BE PERFORMED BY A PRIMARY CARE PARAMEDIC
- Administration of glucagon, oral glucose, nitroglycerin, epinephrine, salbutamol and ASA (80mg form).
- Semi-automated external cardiac defibrillation.
LIST OF CONTROLLED ACTS THAT MAY BE PERFORMED BY AN ADVANCED CARE PARAMEDIC OR, IF AUTHORIZED, A PRIMARY CARE PARAMEDIC
- Administration of the drugs referred to in item 1 of Schedule 1, in addition to any other drug approved by the Director on the recommendation of one or more medical directors of base hospital programs.
- Semi-automated external cardiac defibrillation.
- Peripheral intravenous therapy.
- Endotracheal intubation.
- Non-automated external cardiac defibrillation and monitoring.
These skills are delegated by the Medical Director for the Southwestern Regional Base Hospital Program – a quality assurance agency that oversees the performance by paramedics of delegated acts.
In Oxford County, all paramedics have an expanded scope of practice and are certified to perform: external cardiac defibrillation, Supraglottic Airways, IV therapy, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), oxygen administration and the delivery of 13 medications (ASA, Nitroglycerine, Glucagon, Dextrose, Epinephrine, Ventolin, Gravol, Diphenhydramine, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Ketorolac, Naloxone, Hydrocortisone, Dimenhydrinate and Benadryl). This expanded scope allows the paramedics to deliver essential care in Oxford County where, due to our rural / small urban environments, the time required to get to the hospital may be longer than in the city.
In order to ensure that their skills are maintained to the highest standard, our paramedics recertify annually with additional time spent in both classroom-based and self-directed Continuing Medical Education (CME).