Timothy James Millwood, 50, of Longford, changed his plea to guilty in September after having initially contested the charges.

Millwood stole 35 ampoules of morphine, worth 85 each, and one ampoule of midazolam while working at Launceston and Mowbray ambulance stations between June and July last year.

He was also charged with using the drugs.

An audit revealed that Millwood had accessed drug storages on his days off, during sick leave or while on annual leave. Police found an ampoule and syringes in Millwood's car and empty and broken ampoules in his home.

Millwood told police he injected morphine into his thigh for his knee pain.

Yesterday in the Launceston Magistrates Court, Chief Magistrate Michael Hill said it was important that Millwood pleaded guilty and saved the court's time.

The loss of his job was a significant factor in considering an appropriate sentence, he said. Millwood resigned from Ambulance Tasmania just before pleading guilty, after nine years as a paramedic.

Mr Hill ordered that he do 105 hours of community work.