As healthcare professionals, most of us will work more than usual during the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic as caused widespread fear and panic within the healthcare community but even more so within the general public. This has caused some EMTs to quit or call out from their jobs out of fear of contracting the disease while on the job and carrying home to their families. This trend has prompted the NJ Department of Health OEMS to grant a waiver for all emergency medical service providers in regard to BLS staffing.
Until April 13 2020, ambulances do not need two EMTs to operate in compliance. A person who has been trained in CPR, at a health professional level, can also ride and administer care within their scope of practice. The licensed EMT will be the primary care provider during transport and during all contact with patients.
If you are a MAVO trained in CPR and currently work at a medical transport company, you can expect to be partnered with EMTs as the pandemic continues to grip the country and state. Take full contact precautions when entering nursing homes and when interacting with patients who are suspected of having COVID-19. Full contact precautions include put on gloves, masks, eye shield or goggles and wearing a disposable gown or vinyl body suit. Decontaminate surfaces within your vehicle after every trip. Be aware of where your hands are, avoid touching things with them if possible.