Paramedic

Paramedic is a healthcare professional trained to provide pre-hospital emergency medical services and authorized to perform medical interventions in emergency situations. They are responsible for maintaining, stabilizing, and, when necessary, intervening to preserve the patient’s vital functions from the scene of the incident to the hospital.

Responsibilities of Paramedics

The primary objective of paramedics is to provide basic and advanced life support to patients and injured persons during pre-hospital emergency medical services, identify all types of systemic trauma, apply appropriate emergency protocols, and ensure the safe transport of patients or injured individuals who have received initial care to hospitals via ambulance.

Under the “Annex 1B of the Regulation on the Duties and Responsibilities of Health Professionals and Other Personnel Working in Health Services,” published in the Official Gazette No. 29007 on 22 May 2014^【1】, the duties and responsibilities of paramedics are defined as follows:

• Administer emergency medications and fluids designated by the Ministry via intravenous and intraosseous access until the patient reaches the hospital.
• Perform basic and advanced airway management procedures, including endotracheal intubation, cricothyrotomy when necessary, and oxygen administration.
• Stabilize trauma cases, including fractures, dislocations, and sprains; close wounds; and control minor bleeding.
• Prepare the patient for transport and ensure safe transfer using appropriate handling techniques.
• Perform electrocardiogram (EKG) recordings and rhythm assessments; apply electrical therapies such as monitoring, defibrillation, cardioversion, and external pacemaker use.
• Assist in emergency childbirth situations.
• Use communication networks accurately and promptly throughout all stages of their duties.
• Maintain the ambulance in a technically, medically, and materially ready state for immediate use; and, when necessary, perform driving duties within the ambulance.

Types of Ambulances Used by Paramedics

Land Ambulance

A land ambulance is a vehicle equipped with specialized medical equipment designed to transport patients requiring emergency medical intervention to healthcare facilities as quickly and safely as possible. It has priority right-of-way on roads and provides 24/7 service for emergency situations.

Land Ambulance. (T.C. Ministry of Health)

Marine Ambulance

Marine ambulances are used for patient transport or when emergency medical intervention is required. These types of ambulances must obtain operational permits from the Ministries of Transport, Communications and Maritime Affairs. They must also be equipped with the medical devices specified in relevant regulations. At least one healthcare professional must be present on board during transport. Equipment on marine ambulances includes radio and telephone systems, a blood pressure device, one portable oxygen unit, navigation systems, and one basic medical supplies kit. Additionally, the vehicle must be registered with an authorized traffic unit. These vehicles must also display luminous text and markings indicating their purpose.

Marine Ambulance. (Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye)

Air Ambulances

Ambulance Aircraft

Ambulance aircraft have been in service in Türkiye since 2010. Three ambulance aircraft are currently operational: one with four stretchers, one with two stretchers, and one with a single stretcher.

Ambulance aircraft differ from helicopter ambulances, which operate only between sunrise and sunset, by providing 24-hour service. Due to their high speed, long range, high flight ceiling, and adjustable cabin pressure, ambulance aircraft can provide services both within Türkiye and internationally.

Like helicopter ambulances, ambulance aircraft are equipped with medical devices and systems capable of transporting patients requiring intensive care. All necessary medical equipment and supplies for advanced intensive care are available on board. Additionally, equipment required for transporting neonates is also carried on these aircraft.

Ambulance Aircraft. (Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye)

Ambulance Helicopters

Ambulance helicopters operate between sunrise and sunset and can transport patients or injured persons up to a distance of 400 kilometers from their base locations without refueling, remaining airborne for up to two hours and thirty minutes. This range and duration can be extended if refueling is performed as needed.

Ambulance helicopters stationed in provinces designated by the Ministry are managed and dispatched by the 112 Command and Control Center of the respective province. Dispatch and management outside their designated regions are handled by the Ministry’s Air Operations Center. These helicopters are equipped with all necessary medical devices to provide intensive care during transport to the nearest healthcare facility. Equipment for transporting neonates is also available on board. To date, all types of emergency medical interventions—including resuscitation during flight—have been successfully performed using ambulance helicopters.

Using ambulance helicopters, pregnant women and infants from villages rendered inaccessible due to snow have been transported to hospitals; organs for patients awaiting transplants have been delivered in the shortest possible time; and severely injured citizens from road traffic accidents have been rapidly transferred to intensive care units.

The largest group of patients transported by ambulance helicopters are cardiac patients. This is followed by patients with brain and nervous system disorders, trauma, respiratory diseases, traffic accidents, gastrointestinal illnesses, neonatal cases, infectious diseases, and other emergencies.

Ambulance Helicopter. (Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye)

History in Türkiye

Paramedic education in Türkiye began in 1993 at the School of Health Services at Dokuz Eylül University. In 2004, paramedics began serving in the 112 Ambulance Service and have since become a vital component of the emergency medical system.