EMS Recruitment Policies

Emergency medical services (EMS) companies employ individuals who are trained and licensed to perform emergency medical treatment and care in the pre-hospital setting. Companies consider several things when recruiting EMS providers.

License

• An active license is required to practice EMS as an emergency medical technician, intermediate or paramedic to work for an EMS company. The license must be valid in the state in which the individual will be working. A valid cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) card and other licenses may also be required to work for the company.

Skills

• Tests that evaluate one's knowledge and ability to perform the skills needed to work successfully in EMS may be administered prior to employment. A written exam may be administered to a group being recruited to work for the EMS company. Practical skills exams are administered to assure the EMS provider is capable of performing specific tasks, such as intubation, that may be needed in the field.

Background Check

• Background checks may be required on those recruited by the company. These checks can involve looking into a person's criminal, civil and driving record history. Companies may choose not hire recruits who do not pass the background checks. Issues such as insurance coverage may be a factor when hiring individuals with poor driving records or malpractice cases brought against them in the past.