Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
.jpg)
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants drive ambulance or assist ambulance driver in transporting sick, injured, or convalescent persons. Assist in lifting patients.
What they do
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants drive ambulance or assist ambulance driver in transporting sick, injured, or convalescent persons. Assist in lifting patients.
- Remove and replace soiled linens or equipment to maintain sanitary conditions.
- Drive ambulances or assist ambulance drivers in transporting sick, injured, or convalescent persons.
- Report facts concerning accidents or emergencies to hospital personnel or law enforcement officials.
- Place patients on stretchers and load stretchers into ambulances, usually with assistance from other attendants.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Ambulance Drivers and Attendants clean and wash rigs, ambulances, or equipment. They drive ambulances or assist ambulance drivers in transporting sick, injured, or convalescent persons.
A typical day for an Ambulance Driver and Attendant will also include:
- Perform minor maintenance on emergency medical services vehicles, such as ambulances.
- Remove and replace soiled linens or equipment to maintain sanitary conditions.
- Report facts concerning accidents or emergencies to hospital personnel or law enforcement officials.
- Replace supplies and disposable items on ambulances.
- Place patients on stretchers and load stretchers into ambulances, usually with assistance from other attendants.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Ambulance Drivers and Attendants also remove and replace soiled linens or equipment to maintain sanitary conditions. They may also accompany and assist emergency medical technicians on calls.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Ambulance Drivers and Attendants clean and wash rigs, ambulances, or equipment. They might also place patients on stretchers and load stretchers into ambulances, usually with assistance from other attendants.
In addition, they perform minor maintenance on emergency medical services vehicles, such as ambulances.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them report facts concerning accidents or emergencies to hospital personnel or law enforcement officials.
To some Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, it is also their responsibility to administer first aid, such as bandaging, splinting, or administering oxygen.
Freedom to make decisions
How much decision making freedom does this job offer?
Structured vs unstructured work
To what extent is this job structured for you versus allowing you to determine your own tasks, priorities, and goals?
Featured Schools
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
61% said they were satisfied with their job and 47% said they found their job meaningful.
I am a Firefighter/EMT with the Village of Waukesha, in Waukesha WI. When I run EMS calls, I am either a driver or an attendant in the back, so I have done both jobs. Driving an ambulance is a very rewarding experience. Anytime I can deliver the patient safely to the hospital and bring my crew safely back home, it’s a great day. While driving an ambulance, there is a lot you have to do, especially when you are arriving at the scene. Generally, you run hot (light and sirens) to the scene initially, and then run silent (no lights and sirens) to the hospital, unless the patient’s condition requires otherwise.
When running hot, there is a lot to watch out for. Other drivers, pedestrians, and road conditions. Generally, you are going faster than everyone around you, so it is certainly exciting. You definitely have to learn how to control your adrenaline, so you can focus on what is going on around you. There are a lot of blind spots in an ambulance, so constantly knowing where everyone around is located is very important. You also have to listen to the dispatch information and prepare a plan with your partner, on how to help the patient when you arrive. While en route, my partner and I will discuss who will do what on the call. Such as patient assessment, applying oxygen, getting medication, etc. We will also have to think if we will need to ask for additional units, based on the initial dispatch information. Finally, knowing where you are going as the driver is probably the most important. You can’t help the patient if you can’t get to the patient. Knowing your community is very important to help you get around quickly, as you can’t rely on GPS, because you need to focus on the road. Being in the ambulance as a driver or attendant is the best job ever! I get to help people when they need it the most, and that is very rewarding.
Pros:
- Helping people
- Getting to do something that a lot of other people can’t do.
- Being involved in a person’s life, at the moment they need you the most.
- Ever-changing and challenging
- Never sure what you are going to have when you arrive on-scene.
- The ability to quickly see something and know exactly how to fix it.
Cons:
- The things you see, you can’t unsee. Since you are being called to help someone at the worst time in their life, it can be very difficult at times.
- Time away from your family
- Sometimes you have to miss different events or activities because a call came out and you have to run it.
Pros
Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Short working hours (Less than 40 hours per week).
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to work with designs.
One of the lowest paying jobs.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Ambulance Drivers and Attendants with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $20,660 to $23,620 per year or $10 to $11 per hour.
| Salary range | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $20 | $41,440 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $16 | $32,880 |
| Middle (Mid 50%) | $13 | $27,930 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $11 | $23,620 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $10 | $20,660 |
.jpg)
What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
Work with group or team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Deal with external customers
How important is it to work with customers in this job?
Manage or lead others
How important is it to coordinate or lead others in completing work activities in this job?
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Frequency of conflict situations
How often are there conflict situations in this job?
Dealing with angry people
How often do you have to deal with angry, unpleasant, or discourteous individuals in this job?
Dealing with physically aggressive people
How often do you have to deal with physically aggressive people in this job?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
Repetition in this job
How important is repeating the same type of task over and over in this job?
Impact of decisions on co-workers or company results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the reputation or financial resources of your employer?
Frequency of decision making
How frequently do you have to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the reputation of the company?
Responsibility for others’ health and safety
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
Responsibility for outcomes and results
How much responsibility is there for the work outcomes and results of other workers?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
They also like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Don’t know which career to pursue?
Take the career quiz to find careers that match your personality type.
Take The Career Quiz
