An emergency medical technician is famously known as an EMT. People who get caught into accidents such as automobile accidents, childbirth, heart attacks, gunshot wounds, and slips and falls require immediate medical attention. Emergency medical technicians and paramedics provide this service as they care for and move injured or sick to a medical facility.
Job Description
Generally, emergency medical technicians and paramedics work with fire fighters and police. The work of EMTs and paramedics is to evaluate the nature of the patient's condition. They provide patients proper emergency care by following medical guidelines and protocols. Some of paramedics are given specials training to treat patients with minor injuries on the scene of an accident. They may treat patients with minor injury at their home instead of transporting them to the medical facility.
Emergency medical technicians execute emergency treatment under close medical direction of physicians. EMTs and paramedics use various equipments such as blackboards, which is used to immobilize patients before positioning them on the stretchers and placing them in ambulance move to the medical facility. Usually, these professionals work in a team. While the transport of a patient, one paramedic or EMT drives and the other examines the patient's signs and provides additional care as required.
Some of the paramedics serve as part of helicopter's flight crew with the purpose of transporting critically injured or ill patients to a hospital trauma centers. Emergency medical technicians and paramedics who work in the medical facility help patients to get transferred to the emergency department. They reports patients' actions to emergency department staff and provide emergency treatment.
Emergency medical technicians and paramedics check equipment and replace used supplies. When a patient who is transported had a contagious disease, paramedics and EMTs disinfect the interior of the ambulance and report cases to the concerned authority. Paramedics and EMTs provide transportation for patients to the medical facility, especially, when they work with private ambulance services.
Apart from carrying above-discussed duties, paramedics and EMTs perform various duties as they depend upon their educational qualification and training. Emergency medical service providers are certified by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians at five levels including First Responder, EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate, and Paradigmatic. Many states have their own certification programs and they use various titles and names.
The EMT-Basic refers to the first component of the emergency medical technician system. An emergency medical technician who is trained at this level is able to take care for patient at the accident place. Subsequently, an EMT transfers the patient by ambulance from the accident place to the hospital. An EMT-Basic possesses the emergency skills to evaluate a patient's condition and administer cardiac, trauma and respiratory emergencies.
A technician who is trained as an EMT-Intermediate receives more advanced training. Nonetheless, the nature of work and specific tasks performed by the EMTs certified at this level may vary greatly by states. Technicians who are certified as EMT-Paramedics offer a widespread pre-hospital care. Additionally, paramedics have to perform various tasks, which may include interpret electrocardiograms (EKGs), administer drugs intravenously and orally, execute endotracheal intubations, and use monitor other advanced equipment. These professionals execute various responsibilities as mentioned below.
Responsibilities
EMTs and paramedics have to make effective communication with treatment center personnel and dispatchers to equip them with the information about situation, reception of victims, and receive instructions for supplementary treatment. They immobilize patients for placing on stretcher and transfer them to the hospital by using backboard and other devices like spinal immobilization.
Work Environment
Emergency medical technicians and paramedics work indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. They need to do considerable bending, heavy lifting, and kneeling. These workers may suffer from injuries and diseases like backache problem from lifting patients.
Training and Educational Qualification
Usually, a high school diploma is required to enroll for a training program. Upon completing this program, a candidate may get into this field as paramedic or EMT. It is mandatory for workers to complete a certification process and formal training. The training is offered to candidates at progressive levels such as EMT-Intermediate, EMT-Basic, and EMT-Paramedic.