Being a paramedic can be thrilling and terrifying at the same time because of the exciting work rhythm and things that one gets to see every single day. They are a doctor and nurse, counselor and trouble shooter at the same time. It's not just about first aid or emergency medical care, but also because of mental or emotional difficulties. That's why paramedics are trained to take care of all sorts of problems; however, there is no training program to prepare you for what you're about to experience when actually working on the field.
Job Description
A paramedic usually has to offer medical services and care to all the injured or sick persons who solicit the help of an ambulance. They are asked to go to someone's home or in any other environment and provide treatment. If the situation requires it, after this first step, the patient might be put in the ambulance and transported to the nearest hospital for continuing the surveillance of his or her state of health. They don't necessarily have to work on emergencies since there are also non emergency ambulatory services. They are generally responsible with transporting patients in a stable situation up to a medical center where they will be the subject of a medical treatment that they periodically follow.
Fire Department
If you were wondering what a paramedic does with the fire department, I should say that it's just a suggestive name. They work in extremely critical situations where people usually get into panic and are hard to control.
Risks
Working on an ambulance makes things always spin on high speed around you. The vehicle has priority in traffic, indeed, but the other drivers don't always take this into consideration. So there is a considerable risk for a paramedic to suffer physical injuries while heading to a specific location, usually because of some discrepancies between the high speed that the ambulance takes to get in time and the weather or environmental conditions.
Besides the risk of getting injured in action, there is another one, probably even higher, regarding the mental state of health. They are under constant pressure and stress and they can also become addicted feeling the adrenaline rush through their veins, a thing that can create depressions. They work in shifts, they don't sleep enough or regular and that's another factor that can contribute to messing their minds.
Prevention measures
Paramedics normally benefit from counseling sessions to release their mental stress or the accumulated tension. And they have to also follow some specific procedures regarding the prevention of their own physical injuries. A permanent observation of their physical and psychological state is mandatory.