The St John Emergency Ambulance Communication Centres (EACC) are located in Ellerslie / Mt Wellington, Auckland and CBD, Christchurch.

The recruitment process following your application, resume and cover letter being submitted begins with the St John Recruitment Team contacting you to complete a phone screening to assess your skills, experience and suitability for this demanding and challenging role.

Once the St John Recruitment Team has determined they would like to consider your application further, they will then invite you to attend an Assessment Centre conducted by the EACC Assessment and Selection Team.

Prior to the Assessment Centre you will be invited to complete an observation shift either in NorthComm EACC or SouthComm EACC to provide you the opportunity to explore this career further and to gain a true insight into the role and the EACC environment.

The Assessment Centre is designed to further assess and evaluate your skills, experience and suitability for this position and to provide you with a detailed insight into the role of an Emergency Medical Dispatcher and the St John Emergency Ambulance Communications Centre.

The Assessment Centre will comprise of:

• Introduction by St John to the environment and the role
• Listening and observing Ambulance Emergency 111 Calls
• EACC Informational DVD
• Completion of application paperwork
• Team Work and Communication Assessment
• New Zealand Geography and Map Reading Assessment
• Literacy and Spelling Assessment
• Call Taking/Data Entry Assessment
• Formal Interview
• Critical Assessment
• Computer Competency Assessments
• Psychometric Assessment

Following the Assessment Centre the St John EACC Assessment and Selection team will complete background checks and then discuss their finding and observations and your suitability for this role.

A position description is available as follows which outlines the key responsibilities, deliverables and desired attributes of an Emergency Medical Dispatcher within the St John Emergency Ambulance Communications Centre Team.

Position Description

Position: Communications Centre EMD Level 1

Responsible to: Communication Centre Team Manager

Purpose: To receive, triage and input details of incoming emergency and non-emergency calls to allow effective dispatching to occur. This role supports the guiding principals of client service, quality in service delivery as well as ensuring efficient fair and equitable access to pre-hospital emergency care. An EMD Levels 1 will use best practice procedures to ensure the safety of patients and staff.

The principle objectives of the position are:

• To answer incoming calls to the Communications Centre.
• To accurately triage and input ambulance request details into the Communications Centre computer system.
• To provide support and accurate advice to callers
• To actively contribute to the goals and objectives of the Communication Centre and the Service Provider
• To accept responsibility and accountability for individual performance within the Communication Centre
• To apply quality customer service to internal and external clients.

Key Relationships:

The Communications Centre Emergency Medical Dispatcher will operate as the key member of the Communications Centre team. Relationships with the following customers are vital to the overall day-to-day operation of the Communications Centre.

• Managers
• Staff members
• Other emergency services personnel
• Other health providers
• Members of the public requiring service

Dimensions

The Communications Centre Emergency Medical Dispatcher is responsible for prioritising calls and maintaining effective and efficient communication between incoming callers and the Dispatcher, therefore leading to effective communication between members of the public requiring our service, ambulance officers, health professionals, hospital staff, customers and other on duty Communication Centre staff.

Emergency Medical Dispatchers will be flexible and cross-trained to allow cover at all levels if required.

The Call Taker reports to the Communications Team Manager at all times. The Team Manager will guide and assist the Call Taker, providing advice, direction and support for their work.

Key Accountabilities

• Communications and Call Taker Services
• Adhere to all organisation and Communication Centre policies and procedures in regard to receiving, triaging and inputting requests for ambulance attendance.
• Providing accurate advice to callers who have general enquiries.
• Answer all telephone and radio channel calls courteously and promptly and action within Service timeframes.
• On commencement of duty complete a full handover of all relevant information from the previous shift.
• Notify the Dispatcher and Team Manager of incidents as required by standard operating procedures.
• Meet the requirements of the quality system.
• Resource Management
• Advise supervisor of any equipment faults or failure.
• Ensure accurate completion of documentation.
• Respond to Shift Manager’s directions about crew status and level changes
• Data Entry
• Details of patients are entered promptly and accurately and in accordance with communication centre procedures.
• All other required data shall be inputted promptly and accurately
• Training and Development
• Share best practise knowledge and provide guidance to other staff members
• Participate in career development and / or training programmes. This may involve a commitment of personal time.
• Actively contribute and promote health and safety practices
• Comply with Health and Safety workplace policies, standards and procedures.
• Participate in and put forward any Health and Safety initiatives.
• Quality Customer Service
• Ensure that the standard of response provided meets or exceeds customer requirements and adheres to the performance standards set for the Communications Centre.
• Ensure all service requests are met with a professional and timely response.
• Personal Performance
• Approach tasks, challenges and difficult situations in a positive, dependable and energetic manner.
• Respond to challenges and pressures by lifting personal performance.
• Show willingness to learn new skills.
• Follow directions or instructions but is not afraid to seek clarification on occasions.
• Adapt well to changing work conditions including the working of rosters.
• To contribute proactively as a member of the team
• Put forward recommendations to enhance the service
• Attend appropriate meetings and actively contribute.
• Act as a positive role model
• Contribute in a positive manner to the setting of goals/standards for the Centre.
• Encourage team work and mutual respect.
• To undertake other duties as may be required from time to time
• Due to the nature of your work, from time to time you maybe called back to the centre to assist when an increased workload is present.

Key Competencies

The Communications Centre Call Taker must have the following knowledge, skills, experience and personal attributes:

• Manages Situations to Achieve Positive Outcomes (Conflict Resolution)
• Self Belief and Integrity
• Teamwork and Cooperation
• Relationship Building
• Manages Situations to Achieve Positive Outcomes (Conflict Resolution)
• Excellent Customer Service Skills
• Pre Hospital Emergency Care
• Minimum word processing to 40 words per minute
• Familiar with the "Windows" environment
• Excellent Communication Skills
• Good problem solving skills

Specific Competencies

• Technical Learning: Picks up on technical things quickly; can learn new skills and knowledge; is good at learning new industry, company, product or technical knowledge - like internet technology; does well in technical courses and seminars'.
• Peer Relationships: Can quickly find common ground and solve problems for the good of all; can represent his/her own interests and yet be fair to other groups; can solve problems with peers with a minimum of noise; is seen as a team player and is cooperative; easily gains trust and support of peers; encourages collaboration; can easily be candid with peers.
• Listening: Practices attentive and active listening; has the patience to hear people out; can accurately restate the opinions of others even when he/she disagrees.
• Patience: Is tolerant with people and processes; listens and checks before acting; tries to understand the people and the data before making judgements and acting; waits for others to catch up before acting; sensitive to due process and proper pacing; follows established process.
• Composure: Is cool under pressure; does not become defensive or irritated when times are tough; is considered mature; can be counted on to hold things together during tough times; can handle stress; is not knocked off balance by the unexpected; doesn't show frustration when resisted or blocked; is a settling influence in a crisis.
• Customer Focus: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
• Compassion: Genuinely cares about people; is concerned about the work and non-work problems; is available and ready to help; is sympathetic to the plight of others not as fortunate; demonstrates read empathy with the joys and pains of others.
• Humour: Has a positive and constructive sense of humour; can laugh at him/herself and with other; is appropriately funny and can use humour to ease tension.

Terms of Appointment

The terms of appointment will be subject to a contract of employment and annual performance objectives to be negotiated with the Communications Centre Manager.

This position description is valid upon sign off by the Communications Centre Manager and acceptance of the position by the employee.

Signed: ______________________________

Date: _________________

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