Paramedics and EMTS

EMTs and paramedics can be certified at three levels:

1. EMT-Basic (EMT) 2. EMT-Intermediate 1985 & EMTIntermediate 1999 (Advanced EMT) 3. Paramedics

Salary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2010 half of all EMTs and paramedics made $30,360. Job outlook from 2010 to 2020 is good, with job opportunities expected to grow by 33 percent.

Work Schedule

Most EMTs and paramedics work full time. Many of these emergency personnel work more than full time (more than 40 hours). Because emergencies occur at all hours, EMTs and paramedics often work overnight and on weekends.

Paramedics and EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians)

When an accident or serious injury occurs that needs medical treatment, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics respond. A 911 operator sends EMTs and paramedics to the scene of an emergency. They often work with other first responders like police and firefighters. In addition to providing treatment at the scene, EMTs and paramedics also transport patients to medical facilities. The work of EMTs and paramedics is physically and emotionally challenging. They often work in life-or-death situations and must remain calm. Their work is also physically stressful (there are large amounts of kneeling, bending, and lifting). As a result of these demands, they have more work-related injuries than most jobs.

Paramedics

can provide more care to patients than EMTs. Additional training allows paramedics to monitor the patient's heart, administer more medications and use more complex equipment.

EMT-Intermediate 1985 & EMTIntermediate 1999 (Advanced EMT)

has more advanced training. Advanced EMTs can use intravenous (IV) fluids and administer or give some medications to patients at the scene or on the way to the medical facility.

EMT-Basic (EMT)

provides basic care for patients at the scene and transports patients by ambulance to a hospital. An EMT is trained to assess a patient's condition and manage emergencies (such as a heart attack).

Education EMTs and paramedics

require different amounts of training and education. Community colleges or technical institutes often specialize in emergency care training. EMT-Basic training includes about 100 hours of training. In these courses, students learn about: • Assessing patients' conditions • Dealing with trauma and cardiac (heart) emergencie EMT-Intermediate 1985 or EMTIntermediate 1999 requires about 1,000 hours of training. In the advanced training, students learn how to use: • Airway devices • Intravenous fluids • Some medications • Clearing obstructed, or blocked, airways • Using emergency equipment • Handling emergencies Paramedics require about 1,300 hours of training, which may take up to 2 years. Paramedics must complete both EMTlevel and Advanced EMT training and additional medical training to learn about: • Stitching wounds • Administering IV medicationsAdditionally, most EMTs and paramedics must learn how to drive an ambulance. This can require an additional 8 hours of training. All EMTs and paramedics must pass a national exam for certification. The exam includes both a written and practical test.

Tasks and Skills EMTs and paramedics

respond to emergencies to provide treatment to patients and transport them to the medical facilities. When they arrive on the scene, these first responders typically perform the following: • Assess or determine the patient's conditions • Restrain patients to keep them safe for transport • Transfer patients to medical facilities • Document their care in a report • Clean and replace equipment