EMT Opportunities in New Zealand

[Kstarr]

Hi I am from the US and am going to get my masters in New Zealand so my partner and I will both have work visas. We are both EMTs and would like to work for either St. Johns or Wellington Free Ambulance. I am wondering if anyone knows the likelihood of getting hired there? I am potentially studying in Auckland, Wellington, or Dunedin and would like to choose location based on job opportunities.

 

[SpecialK]

The only realistic option you may have is as a casual Patient Transport Officer. You can pretty much forget any chance of working frontline; most vacancies are filled by the degree graduates and those that aren't are usually filled by one of the experienced casuals or somebody moving.

The casual pool, at least in Auckland, is mainly filled with experienced volunteers who have EMT ATP and do not somehow have a full-time job or by those who are a bit burnt out taking some time off but still want to maintain ATP.

You would also need to prove compatibility with your education. This would be equivalent to the Diploma in Ambulance Practice and you'd need to undergo clinical appraisal to make sure you were equivalent.

There's always volunteering in the weekends at the events work.

I wouldn't expect too much to be honest.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

I know Australia has a program called "Recognition of prior learning" which often allows for certain foreign work experience to substitute education in some reciprocity cases. Not sure about NZ, but maybe something to look into. That being said, there are 3 week EMT courses in the USA, so still pretty big gap

 

[SpecialK]

I know Australia has a program called "Recognition of prior learning" which often allows for certain foreign work experience to substitute education in some reciprocity cases. Not sure about NZ, but maybe something to look into. That being said, there are 3 week EMT courses in the USA, so still pretty big gap

For EMT level, as long as they have worked at equivalent practice then I don't see it being a problem. If it's not exactly equivalent level then that's fine, it just needs to be substantially similar less any specifics. They'll still need to pass the clinical and operational appraisal to demonstrate this.

For example somebody who hasn't used methoxyflurane or done laryngoscopy before is not really a problem; but somebody who was missing any experience with a number of core medicines (such as GTN, glucagon, salbutamol, ipratropium etc) or who couldn't do basic ECG interpretation or who had absolutely no experience doing clinical decision making around referral would be a huge problem because they couldn't be said to be equivalent.

This is all a bit moot point anyway; the only options for this guy would be to do some weekend events volunteering or maybe, maybe at the absolute very most get a job as a casual PTO but he'd also be competing with all the other in-country folks who would get first preference. Not to be negative but handing out plasters and MOF is probably all he'll get.

 

[Kstarr]

For EMT level, as long as they have worked at equivalent practice then I don't see it being a problem. If it's not exactly equivalent level then that's fine, it just needs to be substantially similar less any specifics. They'll still need to pass the clinical and operational appraisal to demonstrate this.

For example somebody who hasn't used methoxyflurane or done laryngoscopy before is not really a problem; but somebody who was missing any experience with a number of core medicines (such as GTN, glucagon, salbutamol, ipratropium etc) or who couldn't do basic ECG interpretation or who had absolutely no experience doing clinical decision making around referral would be a huge problem because they couldn't be said to be equivalent.

This is all a bit moot point anyway; the only options for this guy would be to do some weekend events volunteering or maybe, maybe at the absolute very most get a job as a casual PTO but he'd also be competing with all the other in-country folks who would get first preference. Not to be negative but handing out plasters and MOF is probably all he'll get.

How strict are they with the certification transfer? He was almost finished with his paramedic certification here in the US- he did all the classes and hospital clinical, he just did not get his internship done in the allotted timeframe. Do you think he could count his training as a paramedic if he does not have the certificate to prove he completed the program?

 

[ExpatMedic0]

So he failed or dropped out? Probably not gonna help his case, just my opinion. Maybe if he took and passed some of the individual courses for college credit which is transferable.

 

[SpecialK]

How strict are they with the certification transfer? He was almost finished with his paramedic certification here in the US- he did all the classes and hospital clinical, he just did not get his internship done in the allotted timeframe. Do you think he could count his training as a paramedic if he does not have the certificate to prove he completed the program?

For Paramedic and Intensive Care Paramedic, you have zero chance as an international except for maybe one or two incredibly hard to fill posts in the middle of nowhere. The only way of obtaining authority to practice at Paramedic or ICP is through the internship and it's brutally competitive due to limited numbers; even some of the graduates are having a hard time getting a place.

Since both unis are producing sufficient graduates now and have done for a few years international recruitment is basically non-existant except for the odd head honcho job but ATP may not even be required.