Paramedics in Canada

A paramedic is a healthcare professional, providing pre-hospital assessment and medical care to people with acute illnesses or injuries. In Canada, the title paramedic generally refers to those who work on land ambulances or air ambulances providing paramedic services. Paramedics are increasingly being utilized in hospitals, emergency rooms, clinics and community health care services by providing care in collaboration with registered nurses, registered/licensed practical nurses and registered respiratory therapists. In Canada the scope of practice of paramedics and emergency medical responders is described by the National Occupational Competency Profile (NOCP) document which was developed by the Paramedic Association of Canada with financial support from the Government of Canada. The NOCP outlines four provider levels: Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Primary Care Paramedic (PCP), Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP), and Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) There is a considerable degree to inter-provincial variations on paramedic and emergency medical responder practice across Canada. To address this there is a national consensus of paramedic and emergency medical responder practice (by way of the National Occupational Competency Profile) identifies the knowledge, skills, and abilities as being most synonymous with a given level of paramedic or emergency medical responder practice. Each province retains ultimate authority in legislating the actual administration and delivery of paramedicine and its services within its own respective jurisdictions. Specific paramedic regulatory frameworks and practice is established uniquely in each of the provinces legislature and statute and varies across Canada. Titles of paramedics may vary between provinces. For example, in Ontario, primary care paramedics post the graduation of an approved primary care paramedic education program and upon successful completion of the provincial examination process are awarded the title of Advanced Emergency Medical Care Assistant (AEMCA).