EMTs and Paramedics

If you are confident, want a challenging job, have excellent judgment and act quickly in the best interest of the patient then embrace career as EMT and Paramedic. EMTs and paramedics provide basic life support in incidents as varied as automobile accidents, heart attacks, drowning, childbirth, and gunshot wounds all require immediate medical attention. 

Emergency Medical Technician (EMTs) Job Description

An EMT functions as a primary care provider in the pre-hospital setting. The EMT is responsible for all aspects of care provided to the sick and injured. The EMT provides basic life support, including patient assessment, airway management, and use of the automatic defibrillator and assisting patients with taking some of their own medications. The EMT is responsible for driving the ambulance in a safe manner under all conditions. They must have a thorough knowledge of the street, highway and addressing system in which he or she will be working. In organizations that provide advanced patient care, the EMT will work under the direction of a Paramedic and assume a support role.

Paramedics Job Description

A paramedic is an emergency medical technician with additional advanced training to perform more difficult pre-hospital medical procedures. A paramedic functions as the most extensively trained primary care provider in the pre-hospital setting. The paramedic is responsible for all aspects of care provided to the sick and injured. They provide both basic and advanced life support, including comprehensive patient assessment, invasive airway management, cardiac monitoring and administration of medications. The paramedic is frequently in a leadership role working with a small team of lesser-trained pre-hospital care providers.  The paramedic must be dedicated to continued learning through continuing education and maintenance of licensures and certifications.

The paramedic is responsible for verbal communication with the patient, other pre-hospital providers and hospital personnel, including physician medical directors. The paramedic completes extensive written documentation on patient condition and treatment provided, and must understand all applicable legal, moral and ethical issues surrounding emergency medical service. 

Role of  EMTs and Paramedics

An emergency medical technician or paramedic job description would include:
  • Responding quickly to emergency calls involving accidents, disasters or medical emergencies.
  • Quickly assessing a patient’s medical condition and taking a course of action.
  • Using procedures and guidelines given them by physicians who oversee their work.
  • Helping transport patients to medical facilities, a task that may involve using backboards and restraints to keep a patient still.
  • Maintaining supplies and equipment for medical emergencies.

Skills required to be EMTs and Paramedics

Confidence:The paramedic must be a confident leader who can accept the challenge and high degree of responsibility entailed in this position.

Excellent Judgment: The paramedic must have excellent judgment, be able to prioritize decisions and act quickly in the best interest of the patient.

Independent Functioning: The paramedic must be able to function independently at an optimum level in a non-structured environment that is constantly changing.

Physical Strength: EMTs and paramedics need to be physically fit. Their job requires a lot of bending, lifting, and kneeling.

Problem-Solving Skills: EMTs and paramedics need strong problem-solving skills. They must evaluate patients’ symptoms and administer the appropriate treatments.

Speaking Skills:  EMTs and paramedics need good verbal skills so that they can comfort and explain procedures to the patients, give orders, and relay information to others.

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