Emergency Transportation Communication Specialist (AFSCME) - UC Health

Job Description

Location: UCMC
Department: Air Care Mobile Care
Hours: PRN
Shift: Varies

About University of Cincinnati Medical Center

As part of the Clifton Campus of UC Health, Greater Cincinnati's academic health system, University of Cincinnati Medical Center has served Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for nearly 200 years. Each year, hundreds of thousands of patients receive care from our world-renowned clinicians and care team. Our experts utilize the most advanced medical knowledge and technology available, providing a level of specialty and subspecialty medical care that is not available anywhere else in Greater Cincinnati.

UC Medical Center is also home to medical breakthroughs- our physician experts conduct basic, translational, and clinical research, leading to new therapies and care protocols, and connecting patients to the latest and most advanced treatments. UC Medical Center houses Greater Cincinnati's only Level I adult trauma center, which includes the right mix of specialist and medical resources available at a moment's notice for a wide variety of the most complex medical conditions and injuries.

At UC Health, we're proud to have the best and brightest teams and clinicians collaborating toward our common purpose: to advance healing and reduce suffering.

As the region's adult academic health system, we strive for innovation and provide world-class care for not only our community, but patients from all over the world. Join our team and you'll be able to develop your skills, grow your career, build relationships with your peers and patients, and help us be a source of hope for our friends and neighbors.

UC Health is committed to providing an inclusive, equitable and diverse place of employment.

Responsibilities

The Communications Specialist is a member of the transport team who works in the communications center to triage patients to the correct level of medical transport care, communicates with ground and flight crews, provides flight following and communications, assists with quality improvement measures, plans day to day staffing, coordinates daily resources and assists with a variety of short and long-term projects. Works collaboratively with others to deliver the safest and highest quality patient and family centered care possible during transport. Works within the standards of governing and regulatory bodies for medical transport, aviation vendor operations manual and Federal Aviation Administration rules and regulations.
Responsibilities for Internal Candidates
Clinical Practitioner:

• Coordinating ground and air transports with the level of transport care provider; BLS, ALS, MICU, Air
• Collaborates with referring and receiving care providers and transport team to encourage safe and appropriate resource utilization for the individual patient and with RN Coordinator when available.
• Communicates appropriate patient information in a professional manner. Documents all clinical information per department standards.
• Follows the department and hospital policies, procedures, and standards for patient care and operations. Maintains computerized database of all transport requests and other data as directed.
• Actively participates in department quality assurance and review. Maintains all clinical competencies required.

Operational Practitioner:

• Reports to work on-time and leaves on-time unless directed otherwise or situation specific additional resources are needed.
• Assumes responsibility for self while on-shift in respect to operational decision making.
• Collaborates with and communicates frequently with department leadership as operational needs change throughout the day. Includes reviewing current schedules to help secure adequate staff coverage of any open shifts and informing leadership of l all staff changes.
• Attains a useful understanding of ground and aviation operations. Follows all regulations of the aviation vendor's operations manual as explained to them by the vendor.
• Vehicle tracking, including ambulance and helicopter tracking, and stays competent in any other relevant aviation or ground safety processes as defined by the department, state, or national standards.
• Maintains scheduling flexibility to meet the needs of the department to cover; sick call offs, vacation/PTO, open positions, and other needs.
• Mission, Vision, and Values Taking initiative to obtain information related to department operations by, but not limited to: attending meetings, reviewing meetings minutes, reading department generated e-mails, newsletters and other formats of communication in a timely manner (every week at a minimum).
• The pass on book and communication center book will be reviewed daily and the communication specialist will complete daily log sheets.

Professional Growth:

• Remains current and active in the profession of nursing and the medical transport industry. Completes clinical rotations or operational experiences as assigned and by the completion due date
• Explores, accepts, and implements new industry standards for safety, clinical care, and operational efficiency in coordination with leadership.
• Educates healthcare professionals and other customers regarding the operation of the transport program (includes orienting new associates as assigned).

Safety:

• Maintains a safe, clean, well-organized work area in the communications center and encourages and directs other staff to do the same
• Conducts operations in a safe manner, takes the safety of the transport crews and patient as the primary concern for each transport
• Reads and maintains a useable knowledge of department policies, procedures and guidelines related to safety, including; vehicle operations, emergency procedures, bariatric transport, etc
• Never sidesteps safety to get a transport completed. Never puts any of the department values above safety including, financial sustainability

Customer Service:

• Knows, practices and demonstrates the PRIIDE values at all times while at work or while representing any part of UC Health internally or to the public including, but not limited to; conversation, e-mail, texting, social media, and personal presentation.
• Provides excellent customer service to co-workers through complete, and efficient communications Initiates and participates in customer service initiatives, marketing and customer outreach efforts for the program, hospital, and industry

Qualifications

Qualifications for Internal Candidates

Education:

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• EMS: EMT or Paramedic.
• Associate's or Bachelor's Degree

Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years EMS experience required, 5 years preferred.
• Communications or dispatch experience preferred

Required Skills and Knowledge:

• Make independent, clinically, and operationally competent decisions in a challenging work environment. Ability to work in a sometimes; loud, distracting, and stressful environment.
• Maintaining professional and friendly communication with customers, peers, and leadership always.
• Ability to type a minimum of 20-30 words per minute. Work with computer programs such as MS Word, MS Excel, and our CAD system. Computer literate and able to learn new programs including e-mail and text messaging.
• Capable of hearing, understanding, and speaking clearly for others to understand, face to face, via telephone, and via radio.
• Work is primarily seated with frequent standing and turning from seated and standing position.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Basic Life Support (BLS). All certifications required to practice as an EMT or Paramedic in Ohio.
• National Association of Air Medical Communication Specialist (NAACS) Certified Flight Communicator or equivalent course will be required within 2 years after hire.
• Strongly Encouraged: MTEC (Internal trauma course) may be required at a certain interval after hire and ongoing.
• Strongly Encouraged Current EMT or Paramedic Certification in Ohio or National Registry
• MTEC (Internal trauma course), may be required at a certain interval after hire and ongoing.
• Additional certifications or trainings to meet regulatory or industry standards may be required within a certain interval after hire or after notification