26018 version 1
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Drive an ambulance vehicle in emergency driving situations
Level
4
Credits
6
Purpose
People 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
1
This unit standard has been designed for learning and assessment on-job.
2
Definitions
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.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
26018 version 1
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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.
3
References
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.
Range
a minimum of five emergency driving situations is required.
Performance criteria
1.1
Location of the incident is established before the ambulance vehicle is driven
off.
1.2
Route is established in terms of guided, directed, or driver-selected.
Range
may include but is not limited to – local knowledge, street and
topographical maps, communications centre instructions, global
positioning system.
1.3
Restraint devices are used in accordance with traffic regulations.
1.4
Methods of warning other road users to allow for right of way for the ambulance
vehicle are described and demonstrated in accordance with SOPs.
1.5
The safety of road users is not compromised, and traffic disruption is minimised.
1.6
Traffic regulations are described in terms of emergency driving in an ambulance
service.
1.7
The ambulance vehicle is driven in accordance with SOPs and in compliance
with traffic regulations.
1.8
Driving 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.
Range
road safety includes but is not limited to – local weather, time of
day, road and traffic conditions.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
26018 version 1
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Element 2
Position the ambulance vehicle on arrival at the incident scene.
Performance criteria
2.1
Ambulance 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.
2.2
Ambulance vehicle is positioned to give ease of access to the patient and ease
of egress from the scene in accordance with SOPs.
2.3
Ambulance 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
3.1
Patient is positioned within the ambulance vehicle in a manner that is
appropriate to their condition and maximises patient and passenger safety
during transport.
3.2
Ambulance is driven in a manner that maximises patient care and in
accordance with traffic regulations.
Range
3.3
cornering, braking, acceleration, awareness of road surface,
weather conditions, topography.
The 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.
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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
reviewcomments@etito.co.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit
standard.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016