Primary Care Paramedics Scope Expansion – PT

The Ministry of Health is committed to updating and improving the services provided by Emergency Medical Assistants across the province so they can better meet the changing needs of patients and communities. This includes expanding their scope of practice to improve both the quality and accessibility of emergency medical care.

As part of this effort, Ministerial Order 292-2022 requires EMAs to complete all necessary upskill training as a condition of licensure. The deadline to complete at least Schedule 1 endorsement training has been extended to September 23, 2027.

The purpose of this program is to fulfill the skills training education required for continued licensure and improve the quality of care provided by PCPs and ensure they are equipped with the expanded scope of practice. Until PCPs complete the scope of practice update training and receive confirmation from EMALB, they will be restricted from practicing under the new scope.

Sprott Shaw Colleges Primary Care Paramedic Scope Expansion is an approved EMALB Educational Program, and exceeds the minimum requirements of this new scope.

The core competencies required by the Paramedic Association of Canada (PAC) are tested under the following categories:

1. Professional responsibilities

2. Communications

3. Health and safety

4. Assessment and diagnostics

5. Therapeutics

6. Integration

7. Transportation

8. Health promotion and public safety

Pursuant to the Emergency Medical Assistants Regulation, B.C. Reg. 194/2022, EMAs who have successfully completed the Sprott Shaw College’s Scope of Practice Expansion Education, will be eligible for the restriction removals as stated in the Learning Objectives.

Career Opportunities

• Licensed to practice at full scope:
• Primary Care Paramedic
• Industrial Medical Response
• Paramedic
• Remote Camp Medicine
• 9-1-1 Response
• Event Medicine
• Community Paramedicine
• Cruise Ships, Repatriations

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of the Primary Care Paramedic Scope Expansion program, graduates will be able to:

• Provide all the interventions as required by schedule 1 of the Emergency Medical Assistants regulations.

• Provide the identified interventions as required by schedule 2 of the Emergency Medical Assistants regulations.

EMA FR Schedule 2 (h) assistance to a patient with the administration of a medication to the patient, provided that:

(i) if, under the Pharmacy Operations and Drugs Scheduling Act, a particular medication is available only on the prescription of a health professional, the medication has already been prescribed to the patient by a health professional,

(ii) the patient has requested the EMA to assist the patient with the administration of the medication;

(iii) the administration of the medication is related to the emergency services the EMA is providing to the patient;

(iv) the medication is administered as prescribed, and

(v) the patient is not being transported between health facilities

EMA FR Schedule 2 (i) use and interpretation of CO-oximeters

EMA FR Schedule 2 (l) topical administration of procoagulants and antifibrinolytics

EMA FR Schedule 2 (n) non-invasive blood pressure measurement (electronic devices)

PCP Schedule 1(b) administration of the following intramuscular, intraosseous and intranasal medications:

PCP Schedule 1 (i) narcotic antagonist

PCP Schedule 1 (iii) anti-histaminic

PCP Schedule 1 (iv) sympathomimetic agent

PCP Schedule 1 (v) procoagulant

PCP Schedule 1 (vi) anti-hypoglycemic agent

PCP Schedule 1 and administration of the following intravenous, intraosseous, oral, intranasal, sublingual, subcutaneous, inhaled, intra-muscular or nebulized medications: (vii) anti-pyretic

PCP Schedule 1 (f) point of care testing to inform emergency treatment or transportation decisions or to provide information for subsequent treatment

PCP Schedule 1 (g) end-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring and addition of the following endorsements:

PCP Schedule 2 (f) administration of the following inhaled, intramuscular, intranasal, intraosseous, intravenous, nebulized, oral, subcutaneous or sublingual medications:

PCP Schedule 2 (i) anti-emetic — anti-nauseant

PCP Schedule 2 (ii) vitamins

PCP Schedule 2 (iii) corticosteroids

PCP Schedule 2 (iv) opioid analgesics

PCP Schedule 2 (v) anti-cholinergic

PCP Schedule 2 (g) collection of capillary and venous blood samples

PCP Schedule 2 (h) initiation and maintenance of intraosseous needle cannulation with local anesthetic instillation

PCP Schedule 2 (i) taking microbiology swabs of dermal and mucosal sites

PCP Schedule 2 (j) manual defibrillation with cardiac rhythm interpretation

PCP Schedule 2 (l) needle thoracentesis

PCP Schedule 2 (m) administration of chemical and biological agent countermeasures

PCP Schedule 2 (n) administration of drug therapy during transportation between facilities

(i) in accordance with a treatment plan issued by the patient’s attending medical practitioner at the facility from which the patient is being transported, and

(ii) after consultation with a medical practitioner who is designated by an employer as a medical oversight advisor and who has advised the EMA to administer the drug therapy.

Methods of Evaluation

Methods of evaluation vary amongst the courses in the program. Please see the individual course outlines on how students are evaluated for each course.