26018 version 1

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Drive an ambulance vehicle in emergency driving situations

Level / 4
Credits / 6

PurposePeople credited with this unit standard are able to:

–respond to call out and drive an ambulance vehicle in emergency driving situations;

–position the ambulance vehicle on arrival at the incident scene; and

–maintain patient and passenger safety during transportation.

Subfield / Emergency Services
Domain / Ambulance
Status / Registered
Status date / 20 November 2009
Date version published / 20 November 2009
Planned review date / 31 December 2013
Entry information / Prerequisite: Unit 26017, Drive ambulance vehicles in patient transfer situations, or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
Replacement information / This unit standard and unit standard 26017 replaced unit standard 14478.
Accreditation / Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and industry.
Standard setting body (SSB) / ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0003

This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.

Special notes

1This unit standard has been designed for learning and assessment on-job.

2Definitions

Emergency driving situations – for the purposes of this unit standard are those where the ambulance vehicle is being used in an emergency and operating a red beacon or a siren, or both. This may also be described as urgent driving or priority one driving.

Operational readiness – means that the ambulance is fully prepared to respond to a call in terms of: the cleanliness of the vehicle; and the availability and functionality of the vehicle and equipment.

Minimum disruption – recognises that some disruption to other road users is unavoidable in some instances, but the driver should ensure this disruption is the least possible given the circumstances at the time.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) – the written procedures particular to each ambulance service.

3References

Land Transport Act 1998;

Traffic Regulations 1976;

and all subsequent amendments and replacements.

Elements and performance criteria

Element 1

Respond to call out and drive an ambulance vehicle in emergency driving situations.

Rangea minimum of five emergency driving situations is required.

Performance criteria

1.1Location of the incident is established before the ambulance vehicle is driven off.

1.2Route is established in terms of guided, directed, or driver-selected.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – local knowledge, street and topographical maps, communications centre instructions, global positioning system.

1.3Restraint devices are used in accordance with traffic regulations.

1.4Methods of warning other road users to allow for right of way for the ambulance vehicle are described and demonstrated in accordance with SOPs.

1.5The safety of road users is not compromised, and traffic disruption is minimised.

1.6Traffic regulations are described in terms of emergency driving in an ambulance service.

1.7The ambulance vehicle is driven in accordance with SOPs and in compliance with traffic regulations.

1.8Driving techniques allow the ambulance vehicle to arrive at the incident site as quickly as practicable with regard for road safety and the nature of the incident.

Rangeroad safety includes but is not limited to – local weather, time of day, road and traffic conditions.

Element 2

Position the ambulance vehicle on arrival at the incident scene.

Performance criteria

2.1Ambulance vehicle is positioned to protect patients, personnel, the vehicle, and public property, and to allow cooperation with other emergency services where applicable, in accordance with SOPs.

2.2Ambulance vehicle is positioned to give ease of access to the patient and ease of egress from the scene in accordance with SOPs.

2.3Ambulance vehicle is positioned to cause minimum disruption to the general public in accordance with SOPs.

Element 3

Maintain patient and passenger safety during transportation.

Performance criteria

3.1Patient is positioned within the ambulance vehicle in a manner that is appropriate to their condition and maximises patient and passenger safety during transport.

3.2Ambulance is driven in a manner that maximises patient care and in accordance with traffic regulations.

Rangecornering, braking, acceleration, awareness of road surface, weather conditions, topography.

3.3The effects on the patient of cornering, braking, accelerating, different road surfaces, and conditions are managed in accordance with SOPs.

Please note

Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.

Comments on this unit standard

Please contact the ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.

 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2019