An emergency medical technician job description entails many situations where people’s lives hover at the abyss, their bodies broken and bleeding. Sometimes, more than a couple of times in one evening, an emergency medical technician will have to reach for a medical case, stethoscope and boots and scramble to an assigned position. Even in an emergency, upon arrival at the scene of trauma, they still need to keep calm and park the ambulance or emergency vehicle in a safe location so as to avoid further injury.
Being Prepared As A Emergency Medical Technician
Before starting with patient care, the EMT job description will entail summing up the scene to make sure that the area they will be entering is safe. If they are first to arrive at such a scene, and in the absence of law enforcement, they will create a safe traffic environment, by removing certain debris and placing cones in the road to direct traffic away from the scene. The sight that greets these professionals is something that only certain people can face.
You may have to face a huge wound which can be a terrible sight, bones shattered and punctured arteries. Within minutes of arriving at such a scene it may even be too late, because people can go into deep shock and neither pulse nor blood pressure will be able to be detected. The Emergency medical technician job includes assessing the patient and determining the extent and nature of emergency. They look for medical identification bracelets to get an idea of what medication the patient may be taking.
Dealing With An Accident Scene
Emergency medical technicians or paramedics are not strangers to death, and a quick glance from them at an accident scene where massive injuries and blood loss have occurred , will unfortunately tell them that it will be over for some people in a matter of minutes. Doing an emergency medical technician job means complying with all regulations on the handling of the deceased, and know the exact procedure for notifying the correct authorities, while also arranging for the protection of personal belongings and property at the scene of disaster.
They understand what it is like to rush injured people into hospitals, they know what it is like to see blood gushing from a wound, and they know how to slide a tube down a windpipe to help people breathe. They also know all about transfusing blood and fluids into people to stabilize them. Where a patient needs to be extricated from being trapped under building rubble or elsewhere, an EMT job description will include assessing the extent of injury and providing all emergency care to the entrapped patient, and then using the prescribed techniques for the safe removal of the patient. Sometimes they will need to use radios to call for additional help from special rescue services.
Working Conditions For An EMT
After extrication, the EMT job description extends to providing additional care until the patient is moved into the next stage of rescue and treatment. They work tirelessly both indoors and out, and also in all types of weather, and because of this as well as heavy lifting, they are open to experiencing injuries as well as contracting any of the illnesses that come into contact with. They also face the risk of being attacked by mentally unstable people, making the work not only very strenuous but also risky and life threatening. The right kind of personality however, finds the work both challenging and exciting.
Imperative Tools Needed By An EMT
The emergency medical technician needs the right kinds of tools and gear to perform the right kind of job in any kind of emergency situation. Some of these items include:
- Ice gel packs
- Automatic defibrillator
- Emergency response medicines
- Pocket masks
- Stethoscope
- Mobile phone
- Pen light
- Bandages
- Mark of identification should it be requested at a disaster site
The emergency medical technician job description has changed over the years and the technicians do more than ever. People are amazed at what all they can do; and in fact when they reach a person in distress, they can actually start treating them in a similar way they would be treated in hospital. Many types of emergency treatments are started by them before they get to hospital. Once at hospital, emergency medical technicians relay all the information to the doctor. The services of emergency medical technicians and paramedics are available 24/7 and their shifts are often extended. Even when they are at home, they remain on call.
The Working Fields Of Emergency Medical Technicians
Medical technicians can work in diverse fields. Some of these include:
- Working as dental hygienists
- Emergency medical response workers
- Working in x-ray labs
- Pharmacy and veterinary assistants
Different Types of Emergency Medical Technicians
The Emergency medical technician job means working with ambulance companies or fire departments where they provide emergency health care. Part of the EMT job description is ambulance maintenance, and making sure that the ambulance is sterilized inside. They also keep an eye on stock availability for dealing with emergencies. Job responsibilities will depend on the career path and specialty of the technician.
A dialysis technician is trained to operate equipment that performs dialysis, and they are also trained to write reports after a dialysis treatment. Surgical technicians are those professionals who prepare an operating room for surgery and prepare the patient for surgery. A medical lab technician works in a laboratory and will do tests on blood and other body fluids, or take samples from the patient to test for the presence of a disease. A radiology and ultrasound technician takes x-rays and performs CAT scans or magnet resonance imaging or MRI’s.
EMT Job Description Includes Following Guidelines
The very lives of people rely on the quick reaction of emergency medical technicians and paramedics. Attending to heart attacks, automobile accidents, slips and falls, gunshot and stab wounds as well as attending to those giving birth are all in a day’s work for them. Once they arrive at the scene of any incident, they make sure they follow all protocols and guidelines before lifting a patient and transporting them to a medical facility. They also make use of special equipment to immobilize patients before placing them on stretchers and transporting them to a medical facility, all the while keeping an eye on the patient’s vital signs.
An emergency medical technician job or paramedics also forms part of a helicopter’s flight crew to transport ill or injured patients to hospital trauma centers. While emergency medical technicians are trained experts in human rescue, the EMT job description will also include the rescue of animals too. Too many animals with life threatening injuries are put at risk, because EMT’s with only human rescue training try to put their skills to use; whereas it requires completely different rescue techniques. Instruction and training will cover the use of tranquilizers, rescue ropes and knots, mud rescue, helicopter rescue and water rescue for instance. Technicians receive hands-on training during training seminars.
Emergency Medical Technician Training
Training is offered at progressive levels: EMT-Basic, EMT- Lower Intermediate, EMT-better amount intermediate as well as EMT-P or Paramedic. Contrary to what people think, EMT studying requirements vary from state to state and you need to first find out what the particular state regards as most important. Certain states also have different levels of EMT certification.
All states are supposed to meet the National standard curriculum which is provided under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They cover things like medical assessments, legalities, anatomy, physiology as well as how to handle emergencies. Education institutions offer course catalogs which outline the different courses during the year. There are also some hospitals that offer EMT training courses. Some private and public hospitals and institutions provide accredited online EMT training courses.
Once the course is completed, EMT-Basic students are certified by taking a basic exam and they can offer basic life support. Emergency Medical Technician Advanced Courses include things like:
- drug administration
- pediatric advanced life support
- advanced cardiac life support
- medical emergencies
- patient assessments
- trauma emergencies
Once the advanced course is complete, the graduates attend rectification course annually in order to remain registered with the governing bodies. When this is completed you can register as an international emergency technician. The Emergency Medical Technician job will include having to attend various education as well as refresher training course and programs as required by certifying agencies.
Worthy Purpose Role Of EMT’s
There can be no doubt that the EMT job description is all about selfless people who respond to people and animals in need. They play a huge role in bringing peace, comfort, stability and relief to thousands who find themselves in horrendous situations, that would have been all the worse, without the assistance of these highly trained and compassionate individuals. As technology advances, so do the training requirements and demands increase of those who choose this very worthy career.