Job Details

Other Ranks (Non Technical) (Reserve)

Combat Medical Attendants (CMA) in the Army Reserve belong to the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (RAAMC). The RAAMC, in conjunction with the Royal Australian Army Dental Corps (RAADC) and the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps (RAANC) are responsible for providing every aspect of healthcare to support and maintain the health and well-being of Army personnel. The Corps are made up of highly trained professionals who are often called upon to work, in a variety of operational and non-operational conditions, which their civilian counterparts would find daunting.

The role of the RAAMC is to provide medically trained personnel for company/regimental aid posts, evacuation teams, medical facilities and hospitals.

The duties of a CMA encompass pre-hospital emergency care, evacuation of casualties, resuscitation for the sick and wounded and primary healthcare. They must be able to cope with conventional/unconventional injuries and illnesses in a variety of situations and environments and work under supervision and effectively under front line defence emergency conditions for long periods.

All combat units include a medical element of members of the RAAMC so that healthcare and emergency medical care is available to soldiers from the point of battle back through medical treatment facilities as their condition demands.

The RAAMC also trains the Army's physical training instructors, pathology technicians, operating theatre technicians, and preventive medicine personnel.

The CMA is employed in either a medical or non medical unit with the requirement to:

a. Work effectively in the pre-hospital care setting:

(1) communicate effectively with colleagues and patients;
(2) apply health ethics to own practice;
(3) follow organizational procedures to provide a safe healthcare environment and infection control;
(4) participate in quality improvement and skill development activities; and
(5) uphold the ethos and values of the Army Health Services.

b. Participate in basic stores accounting by maintaining medical equipment within Army’s Technical Regulatory Framework.

c. Manage a scene in a pre-hospital care setting:

(1) provide basic emergency response;
(2) assess the scene and take measures to appropriately manage the scene;
(3) communicate essential incident details; and
(4) coordinate First Aid activities until arrival of additional response resources.

d. Manage a casualty in a pre-hospital care setting:

(1) apply emergency treatment within Army Treatment Protocols;
(2) formulate and implement a safe extrication plan of the casualty;
(3) document pre-hospital care; and
(4) provide for casualty’s basic needs in an extended, isolated care situation.

e. Evacuate casualties:

(1) prepare casualty for evacuation;
(2) convey and receive information relating to patient transport;
(3) load, unload and secure patient and equipment for transportation;
(4) monitor patient’s condition during transportation; and
(5) provide patient hand over at receiving facility.