Pre-hospital clinical care is undertaken within St John Western Australia by a variety of Health Care Professionals in many differing roles, responsibilities and locations. This document serves to outline the requirements for Health Care Professionals authorisation to practice within St John Western Australia and the credentialing process. This is to ensure compliance with the relevant clinical governance and professional/medical indemnity requirements.

In relation to the authority to administer medications as per the approved medications protocol (Medication Schedule), this authority is provided under the Medicines and Poisons Regulations 2016, through the issuing of a Structured Administration and Supply Arrangement for each medication. A SASA is a written direction (medication protocol) endorsed by the Medical Advisory Committee, issued by the Medical Director, and authorised by the Group Chief Executive Officer.

Volunteer Ambulance Officers, Patient Transfer Services and Event Health Services.

Volunteer Ambulance Officers, Patient Transfer Services and Event Health Services Officers are authorised to practice under the specific Volunteer Ambulance Officers, Patient Transfer Service, and Event Health Services Clinical Practice Guidelines as published by SJA and appropriate to their level of clinical training as outlined in the medication and skills matrices. Officers are only authorised and insured to use such medications and/or skills when engaged in St John WA roles.

Registered Nurses

Registered Nurses employed as a Registered Nurse are authorised to work under Clinical Practice Guidelines as published by SJA and appropriate to their level of clinical training and Registered Nurse scope of practice as outlined in the medication and skills matrices.

Registered Nurses undertaking any volunteer clinical role within SJA (excluding those employed by SJA as Paramedics/Ambulance Officers /Ambulance Transport Officers/Country Ambulance Transport Officers, Medics or Contract Paramedics) may apply for authority to practice under SJA Clinical Practice Guidelines and as outlined in the medication and skills matrices appropriate to their Registered Nurse training and current Scope of Practice.

Clinical practice undertaken within SJA by Registered Nurses is undertaken under the regulations of Nursing Registration and requirements set by the Australian Health Practitioners Registration Authority (AHPRA) and may provide evidence for meeting the registration requirement for recency of practice. (Further details at http://www.ahpra.gov.au/)

Ambulance Officers / Paramedic Interns

Ambulance Officers and Paramedic Interns employed by St John WA are authorised to practice within the role-specific Clinical Practice Guidelines and Skills as published by St John WA which will identify areas of independent as well as supervised practice. These skills and guidelines are applicable on completion of formal training. Supervised practice can be direct or indirect as per AHPRA supervised practice guidelines. Supervision is to be delivered by an AHPRA registered paramedic or other AHPRA registered practitioner. Where Ambulance Officers and Paramedic Interns employed by St John WA undertake volunteer roles they are authorised to practice at a level equivalent to their current employed status. 

Ambulance Transport Medics       

Ambulance Transport Medics employed by St John WA are authorised to practice within the role-specific Clinical Practice Guidelines and Skills as published by St John WA which will identify areas of independent as well as supervised practice. Supervised practice can be direct or indirect as per AHPRA supervised practice guidelines. Supervision is to be delivered by an AHPRA registered paramedic or other AHPRA registered practitioner. Where Ambulance Transport Medics employed by St John WA undertake volunteer roles, they are authorised to practice at a level equivalent to their current employed status. To acquire the full EMT skillset, sign-off from Clinical Education will be required on additional skills and document via the LMS.

Medic

Medics employed by St John WA are authorised to practice within the role-specific Clinical Practice Guidelines and skills as published by St John WA. Where Medics employed by St John WA undertake volunteer roles they are authorised to practice within St John WA under the specific volunteer Clinical Practice Guidelines as published by St John WA and appropriate to their level of volunteer training as outlined in the outlined in the medication and skills matrices.

Paramedics

Paramedics employed by St John WA are authorised to practice within the role-specific Clinical Practice Guidelines and skills as published by St John WA. Where Paramedics employed by St John WA undertake volunteer roles within St John WA, they are authorised to practice at a level equivalent to their employed status.

Contract Paramedics

Contract Paramedics employed by St John WA are authorised to practice within the role-specific Clinical Practice Guidelines and skills as published by St John WA. Where Contract Paramedics employed by St John WA undertake volunteer roles within St John WA they are authorised to practice within St John WA under the specific volunteer Clinical Practice Guidelines as published by St John WA and appropriate to their level of volunteer training as outlined in the outlined in the medication and skills matrices.

Specialist Ambulance Paramedic Roles

Ambulance Paramedics undertaking specialist roles (Critical or Extended Care, Contract, Special Operations, Community or Clinical Support) employed by St John WA are authorised to practice within the role-specific Clinical Practice Guidelines and skills as published by St John WA. Such authority to practice applies only when directly engaged in undertaking these specialist paramedic roles as designated by St John WA.

Medical Practitioners

Medical Practitioners undertaking any clinical role within St John WA (excluding those employed as Paramedics, Ambulance Officers, Ambulance Transport Officers, Country Ambulance Transport Officers, Medics and Contract Paramedics) may apply for authority to practice under Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Where Medical Practitioners wish to practice outside the approved scope of practice, the Medical Practitioner will assume full clinical and legal responsibility for the management of the patient.