Communications Officer

Position Type:
Permanent

Closing date:
Emergency Medical Care Inc. (EMC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Medavie Health Services (MHS) that manages and operates ground ambulance, air medical transport and the medical communications operations in Nova Scotia through a performance-based contract with the provincial government's Emergency Health Services (EHS) Operations division and the Department of Health and Wellness. As well, EMC operates TeleHealth/811 medical communications for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island for the Department of Health.

We access all communities in Nova Scotia in a timely and efficient manner with our fleet of more than 180 ambulances and support vehicles operating out of 60+ stations. We respond to 165,000+ calls annually across the province, which are actively managed through the EHS Operations Medical Communications Centre, the hub of all emergency (911) and non-emergency (hospital transfers) medical calls.

The EHS Operations LifeFlight program provides even greater accessibility by responding to patients on scene or through inter-facility transports by our critical care team via helicopter, fixed wing, or ground ambulance.

In addition, paramedics in Nova Scotia participate in various programs both urban and rural such as community-based paramedic programs, collaborative emergency centres, and emergency preparedness and special operations, to name a few.

Nature and Scope

Reporting to the MCC Operations Lead, the Communications Officer is responsible for the processing of requests for service for the provincial EHS system. In this role, you may be tasked with acting as a call taker or dispatcher during shift operations. The Communications Officer serves as the first contact with the caller and, as such, will often be called upon to calm and direct the actions of incoming callers pass on pertinent information and provide direction to responding agencies. You must possess the innate ability to perform several tasks at one time.

In a capacity covering a broad range of duties and responsibilities, the mission of the Communications Officer will be to contribute to the overall operational status of the Communication Centre as fully functional while meeting or exceeding customer/ patient expectations during assigned shifts.

The Communications Officer assists with the effective, indirect delivery of patient care, by aggressively following Deployment Plans, following standardized call-taking procedures and protocols including, the effective delivery of pre-arrival and post-dispatch instructions and through positive collaborative practice with all team members

As an employee of EMC, we are accountable to our patients and coworkers by participating in and supporting all safety related initiatives, as well as acting in a manner that fosters a culture that focuses on patient safety and a safe workplace.

**Responsibilities**:

- The position entails, but is _
- not limited to_
- the following:_
- Maintains high standards for health, safety, welfare and ethical behavior
- Adheres to all policies, procedures, directives and Standard Operating Guidelines of agencies, institutional and regulatory bodies which are approved and/or adopted by the Centre
- Responsible to fulfill various functions of the role including but not limited to, processing of incoming calls, dispatching of appropriate resources and handling general inquiries according to proper procedure
- Responsible for maintaining a clean and organized workspace
- Responsible to ensure the timely and accurate completion of required paperwork and reports

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
- Education I Experience:_
- Minimum Grade 12
- Ability to successfully complete specialized training provided by EMC
- Paramedic licensure through the Nova Scotia College of Paramedics is considered an asset but not required
- Experience as a Communications Officer/Dispatcher within a high-performance Medical Communication Centre an asset
- Current First Aid/CPR certification
- Knowledge & Skills:_
- Ability to accurately type 25 words per minute.
- Ability to work under pressure in a fast paced environment Excellence in customer service
- Excellent communication and interaction skills
- Must have functional working knowledge of computer software, including but not limited to Microsoft Office
- Responsible for using proper telecommunications technique and etiquette