New Zeland medics.

[medic82942003]

Just wonder if any New Zealand medics out there. Saw a postion posing on the net. What quals are needed to work there.? Thanks for any info. Cheers. Sorry about the spelling. I know first I have to learn how to spell

before I ask for a Visa.

Edited November 25, 2009 by medic82942003

[scott33]

Just wonder if any New Zealand medics out there. Saw a postion posing on the net. What quals are needed to work there.? Thanks for any info. Cheers. Sorry about the spelling. I know first I have to learn how to spell

before I ask for a Visa.

Never mind the spelling. Why is this in the UK forum?

[Kiwiology]

This need it's very own macro lol.

What are your qualifications and experience like? Degree? Certificate etc?

EMS is New Zealand is not regulated (unlike all other health professions) so we do not have a body like the national registry, council of paramedics etc; you approach the particular service you wish to work for (we have 4; two hospital based and two NPOs) and they assess where you fit on thier qualification matrix.

The cirricula and qualification structure in NZ is undergoing radical change to move away from the old vocational on the job training and make higher education (Bachelors Degree/PG Cert) a requirement by the beginning of 2012. The ambo's are also looking at registration under the Health Practioners Competency Assurance Act like every other health disclipline which should make reciprocity 200% easier.

At the moment the levels look something like this:

Basic Life Support: AED, OPA/NPA/LMA, ASA/GTH, IM glucagon, salbutamol neb, tourniquets, PEEP, zofran PO

Intermediate Life Support: + IV NS/D10, 3 lead ECG, manual cardioversion/defib, adrenaline, zofran IV, naloxone, morphine

Advanced Life Support: + ETI/ETCO2/cric, IO, amio, atropine, midaz, ketamine, frusemide, pacing, 12 lead ECG, RSI (selected Officers)

The current qualification structure looks like this:

Basic Life Support: National Diploma in Ambulance Practice (~12 months)

Intermediate Life Support: NDAP + an IV, a cardiac and a pharmo module

Advanced Life Support: Complete the Bachelor of Health Science Paramedic degree (12-18 mo with cross-credits)

These qualifications are not something you can get "reciprocity" for but you can be assessed as having equivalent knowledge and skill by Ambulance New Zealand (the sector lobby group - they hold no regulatory or certification power whatsoever) and ANZ issue you a report saying what level they think you should be at (note: this report is still based on the old 1999 qualification structure and is terribly out of date) which the ambulance service medical director and your operational manager have final say over.

The upcoming qualification structure will look like this (come 2012):

Basic Life Support: National Diploma in Ambulance Practice

Intermediate Life Support: Bachelor of Health Science (Paramedic)

Advanced Life Support: Post-Grad Certificate in Intensive Care Paramedicine

So what does all that mean? That's a very good questio, when I finally figure it out I will tell you!. Basically for you coming in the from US you will probably get bought in at the BLS level and mentored for 12-18 months to get you up to ALS level but there is no hard and fast rule. The ambulance service here is very different in that it has a different foci than the American system. We have no online control and do not have to call for orders and are very happy to keep it that way, ambo's are totally autonomous and expected to have the clout and nouce to make decisions on thier own; there is medical consultation avaliable but its use is quite rare. Not everybody gets an IV because it's "in the protocol", we threw away MAST pants, spine boards and head blocks years ago as there was no evidence of thier benefit. As an AO here you are sxpected to have the knowledge and skill to do what is best for your individual patient and not follow a cookbook recipe which ends in "Consult medical control". That's why it can be a bit difficult for international guys to come in because they have to get used to our way of working which can often be very different from thier current system.

You need to approach either St John or Wellington Free Ambulance but you can consider the two DHB run services too. You may find WFA more accomidating.

I strongly suggest you read the clinical guidelines for Wellington Free and the clinical procedures for St John.

Does that help?

Edited November 25, 2009 by kiwimedic

[aussiephil]

Just wonder if any New Zealand medics out there. Saw a postion posing on the net. What quals are needed to work there.? Thanks for any info. Cheers. Sorry about the spelling. I know first I have to learn how to spell

before I ask for a Visa.

New Zealand is OK if you like cold weather, rain, & sheep........

[P_Instructor]

New Zealand is OK if you like sheep........

That's just BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!

Edited November 25, 2009 by P_Instructor

[HERBIE1]

New Zealand is OK if you like cold weather, rain, & sheep........

I thought that was what folks said about Scotland?

[medic82942003]

Sorry about it being on the UK forum but they dont have a New Zealand forum. Thanks for all the info. Cheers. Thanks for all the help, the area I live in currently is not very progresive 911 area.

Have to do alot of Mother may I to get med orders. and lots of time if the doctors dont know you, they say monitor the pt and transport. Sad but true.

Dont know much about sheep, but i like to travel and see the world. saw

a report that said New Zealand id a good place to visit. Am I confused?

probably am, sniffed to much nearve agent in the first gulf war. Good tx

for clogged nasal nares. Good Luck, cheers. Whats the pay like?

Edited November 26, 2009 by medic82942003

[Kiwiology]

Whats your qualifications like? Do you have a two year degree with good grounding in college level sciences and the like or a quick down and dirty tech school certificate?

If your system is a "mother may I" one then it's going to be viewed pretty piss poorly here because we are the total opposite. While I cannot say for certian it is likely you will spend a longer time at the lower levels (BLS and IV/Cardiac) getting mentored, having to do skill logs etc to bring you up to our way of operating.

Pay dependsw who you work for; it also depends what roster position you hold. ~$45,000 USD pa for 42hrs a week w/o callback or overtime for ALS is standard. For BLS maybe $36,000 USD or there abouts for the same, 42hrs p/w w/o overtime and callbacks. Also note your authority to practice level (eg Paramedic or Advanced Paramedic) may not be the same as your pay level. You may have a roster position as a Paramedic and obtain Advanced Paramedic ATP but if no AP roster vacancies exist, your pay won't change.

Also FYI when dealing with the services the titles are confusing as heck:

BLS - Ambulance Officer (StJ/TDHB), Paramedic (WFA) and BLS Paramedic (Wairapa DHB)

IV/Cardiac - Paramedic (StJ), ICO (WFA), IV/Cardiac (TDHB)

ILS - Upskilled Paramedic (StJ), ALS-A/ALS-B (WFA), ILS Paramedic (WDHB)

ALS - Advanced Paramedic (StJ), Intensive Care Paramedic (WFA), Paramedic (TDHB) and ALS Paramedic (WDHB)

Edited November 26, 2009 by kiwimedic

[medic82942003]

Thanks I am curerently planning on finishing my nursing degree- in about 1 year. The pay looks a whole lot

better then here in Michigan. Got offered 10.50 a hour at my last interview. Have a new job in Florida in January. Once I move to Florida I will finish my nursing degree and then hopefully recontact people on this Blog. Always wanted to visit New Zealand, thanks for your help. As far as experience, I was a Naval flight medic for 10 years, experienced 1 st gulf war, 90-91, then I have been a medic for 14 years, 8 years on the road,and 6

months as a triage medic. While in the Military I was a Combat medic, sickcall corpsman, and a anesthesia technician. Cheated death for 6 years flying combat SAR. Search and Rescue. Once again thanks for info. I like challenges and I like tough standards, otherwise if it was easy, anyone could do it. Cheers.

Edited November 26, 2009 by medic82942003

[chbare]

Why would you want to go to New Zealand and attempt to obtain work as a Basic Life Support provider when you will have a degree in nursing?

No offense to New Zealand providers; however, things do not add up in my mind. True, I worked over seas as an Intermediate Life Support Paramedic; however, the pay was just a bit better.

Take care,

chbare.