MILITARY PHARMACY AND MEDICINE

© Military Pharmacy and Medicine • 2012 • 4 • 54 – 56and pharmacotherapy using medicines availableto registered paramedics, as well as other invasiveprocedures. Paramedics must also be able toforesee the future development of patient’s conditionand decide on the appropriate referral hospitaldepending on needs.They should be proficient, co-ordinated andconfident of their skills while delivering care topatients. It is important that a paramedic is capableto make an unassisted assessment of patient’scondition and, based on own experience, to makea decision that would be best for the patients’needs. If needed, they should be able to explainthe measures taken, step by step.Through studying and clinical practice theyshould be able not only to improve their skills,but also to evaluate their personal strengths.They should also be able to embrace the role of asupervisor and mentor of others,Paramedic assistantA paramedic assistant should have bachelor’sdegree education compliant with the curriculumdeveloped by the employing institution in collaborationwith the HEI. This professional graderequires level 6 academic education.Education at this level is associated with proficiency,co-ordination and confidence in deliveringcare. While observing appropriate proceduralstandards, paramedic assistants should beable to work alone or as team leaders.Paramedic assistant’s duties include physicalexamination and collection of the medical historyof a patient. Being up-to-date with the resultsof scientific studies and capable of appropriatelyassessing clinical condition, paramedic assistantsmay provide advice regarding health promotion,prophylactics and prevention of injuries.Thus-trained paramedics are prepared for unassistedpreparation of healthcare programs. Theymay also act as mentors and supervisors ofyounger colleagues, as well as to provide trainings.Advanced Paramedic PractitionerThe grade of Advanced Paramedic Practitionerrequires a grade 6-7 academic education compliantReview articlewith the curriculum developed by the employinginstitution in collaboration with the HEI.Candidates are required to have obtained a master’sdegree.A paramedic with such background will providecomplete clinical safety to victims while workingalone or as a team leader.Advanced practitioners should be able to examineand manage patients in acute and chronicand to complete patients’ full medical, social andfamily history.With their knowledge and skills they should beable to develop care plans that might make itunnecessary for the patient to be hospitalized ifthere is no specific need.Advanced practitioner should be up-to-date withthe results of recent scientific studies and capableof appropriately assessing patient’s clinical image.They may provide advice regarding health promotion,prophylactics and prevention of injuries.Thus-trained paramedics are prepared for unassistedpreparation of healthcare programs. Theymay also prescribe drugs not available to grade 2/grade 3 paramedics. Thanks to their knowledgeand experience, they may also act as mentors andlecturersConsultant ParamedicConsultant paramedics are organizational leaders.They must be professionally registered paramedicsand have a minimum of 10 years of professionalexperience as paramedics.The consultant paramedics embrace four areas:1) Clinical practice experts – working at theforefront of their fields, leading clinicalexaminations and planning individual elementsof examinations both by themselvesand in teams. They work with professionalorganizations with the aim to developguidelines to higher-grade paramedics. Inaddition, they develop clinical trials in collaborationwith academic centers.2) They are involved in research and otheractivities to support training, propose tasksto involve wider circles of medical professionalsand carry out audits at all levels.54 http://military.isl-journals.com