Paramedic - Per Diem

About the role

At Hackensack Meridian Health, our team members are the heart of what makes us better. We help our patients live better, healthier lives—and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members who keep getting better, advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

The Paramedic is responsible for providing Advanced Life Support (ALS) services, delivering quality pre-hospital care to individuals of all age groups during emergency care and transportation. This role ensures the safe and prompt transportation of patients while maintaining professionalism and timeliness. The position requires flexibility, critical thinking, and the ability to work in hazardous conditions and uncontrolled environments while wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

The paramedic integrates care seamlessly with emergency agencies (police, fire, ALS, BLS) and healthcare providers in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Patient care reports must be completed for each patient, and daily operational tasks support departmental functions. All actions align with New Jersey State Guidelines (N.J.A.C. 8:41) for Mobile Intensive Care Paramedics (MICP) and comply with HMH protocols, policies, and procedures for ALS services.

Join a team serving Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union Counties and make a difference where it matters most.

Responsibilities

• Responds to calls in a timely manner.
• Assists and supports all public safety personnel and other healthcare providers when rendering patient care.
• Performs assessments and utilizes critical thinking to identify a patient's condition and determine a course of treatment.
• Assesses nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.
• Identifies needs of the patient population served and modifies and delivers care specific to those needs (e.g., age, culture, language, hearing and/or visually impaired). Communicates with patients, parents, and/or primary caregivers at their level (developmental/age, educational, literacy).
• Provides effective pre-hospital care by obtaining essential data from the patient, patient's family, and other available sources. Completes a thorough physical examination and performs appropriate interventions. Observes, records, and reports pertinent medical information to the medical control physician in an organized manner.
• Updates the medical control physician or designee as necessary.
• Attends to the needs of the patient in a timely manner, keeping the patient comfortable in all weather conditions during transport.
• Operates motor vehicles safely and professionally, complying with all laws, rules, and HMH policies for emergency vehicle operation. Alternates driving responsibilities with partners.
• Performs and documents a daily vehicle and equipment check, including a walk-around inspection for hazards before operating the vehicle.
• Maintains adequate fuel and fluid levels of vehicles.
• Maintains the vehicle interior in a clean manner and removes trash and debris.
• Demonstrates safe and appropriate use of all vehicle equipment. Parks and secures the vehicle appropriately when unattended.
• Operates wireless communication devices professionally to accept and acknowledge dispatches and obtain medical control.
• Cooperates and assists with the Quality Assurance program to evaluate care quality, document trends, resolve problems, and monitor patient outcomes.
• Provides complete verbal handoff when transferring care to a receiving healthcare provider as per HMH policy.
• Completes a patient care report in a timely manner for each patient contact according to HMH policy and applicable state and federal regulations. Alternates documentation responsibilities with partners.
• Maintains accurate and complete documentation of all controlled dangerous substances in accordance with HMH and departmental policies.
• Performs routine troubleshooting, maintenance, and cleaning of EMS equipment, vehicles, and station facilities. Reports equipment failures and problems per department guidelines and HMH incident reporting procedures.
• Documents and reports all unusual events/incidents/occurrences in accordance with HMH policy and department-specific procedures.
• Maintains par levels of necessary supplies, including equipment and supplies stocked in vehicles and quarters. Cleans and repairs as necessary throughout the shift.
• Properly disposes of soiled linen and regulated medical waste in accordance with HMH policy.
• Provides education within the scope and training of a paramedic and as directed by leadership.
• Maintains baseline and continuing knowledge of HMH's policies and procedures, and all applicable state and federal statutes and regulations concerning emergency medical services, ALS services, paramedic certification, and other relevant topics.
• Ensures copies of all required certifications are current and submitted to department leadership per HMH policy. Notifies leadership immediately if a required certification cannot be validated.
• Maintains clinical competency by participating in all required training and individualized patient care quality reviews, as per HMH policy and state/federal licensure and certification standards.
• Provides excellent customer service and initiates service recovery when necessary.
• Serves as a preceptor for paramedic students when assigned. Serves as a Field Training Officer when assigned.
• May serve in the role of an Emergency Medical Technician Basic (EMT-B).
• Behaves in accordance with HMH Code of Conduct and Standards of Behavior, conducting oneself professionally and dignifiedly at all times to preserve HMH’s reputation as New Jersey’s leading healthcare provider.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

• High School diploma, general equivalency diploma (GED), and/or GED equivalent programs.
• Completion of the following Incident Command System (ICS) courses:
  • ICS-100 or ICS-100.b or Introduction to Incident Command System for Healthcare/Hospitals.
  • ICS-200 or ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents or Applying ICS to Healthcare Organizations.
  • ICS-700.a: National Incident Management System (NIMS) An Introduction or NIMS-700.
  • IS-800.D: National Response Framework, An Introduction.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office and/or Google Suite platforms.

Qualifications

Preferred:

• Associate’s degree.

Required Licenses and Certifications:

• Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic Certification or National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians - Paramedic Certification or Mobile Intensive Care Nurse Certification.
• AHA Basic Health Care Life Support HCP Certification or BLS Instructor Trainer.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification or ACLS Instructor Certification.
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support Certification or PALS Instructor Certification.
• Valid Driver’s License from a U.S. state.
• CEVO Certified Emergency Vehicle Operator training or EVOC Emergency Vehicle Operations Course within 90 days of hire.

Working Conditions

• Provides care to ALS patients involving lifting, carrying equipment, and climbing in and out of ambulances and tight spaces.
• Lifts a minimum of 100 lbs., pushes and pulls a minimum of 100 lbs., and stands a minimum of 4 hours per day.

Pay

Minimum starting rate of $37.90 per hour. The posted rate is a reasonable good-faith estimate of the minimum base pay for this role at the time of posting, in accordance with the New Jersey Pay Transparency Act. The final base compensation may vary based on non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to labor market data, experience, education, certifications, skills, geographic location, internal equity, budget, and grant funding.

Full-time and part-time (20+ hours/week) positions are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and retirement benefits. Certain positions may also be eligible for performance-based incentives, bonuses, commissions, or shift differentials for evening, night, or weekend shifts.