EMTs play numerous roles and responds to emergency situations. They need to carry out a large variety of tasks.

Roles and Responsibilities in a nutshell:

• Personal Safety: Firstly, the EMTs must maintain their own safety. As EMTs they are sent out to the sight of crisis to ease the situation that caused the crisis, and if they fail to make sure of their own safety, then they cannot perform their duties and thus turn out to be just another piece of the difficulty.

• Safety of team, patient, and witness: The same hazard from which they have protected themselves and the other witnesses can affect the tem, so it is their duty to take steps to make sure that other team members and spectator don’t become extra patients, and that their afflicted does not undergo any further wound while patients are under their care.

• Patient Assessment: As EMT, one of their main tasks is the evaluation of their patient so that they can have sufficient information concerning their medical condition of the patients and so that they can offer suitable crisis medical care.

• Patient Care: After having proper assessment of their patients the EMT can begin their next duty of offering suitable medical care which is purely based on their assessment findings. Beginning from emotional hold up to CPR, every patient should get proper care by the EMT. The patient care includes the actions that EMT performs to assist the patient with their medical troubles.

• Lifting and moving patients: Sometimes patients originate in the most difficult places. Frequently they will discover patients who are not able to walk or else shift themselves to the ambulance. It is the duty of the EMT to transfer every patient to the hospital safely with the help of an ambulance from where they were sighted, before taking them to a suitable facility. This often involves enlivening and moving patients. And it’s a very tough job. When enlivening and moving patients, EMT should always obtain care to make sure that he is not going to harm himself or additionally harm his patient.

• Transport/Transfer with care: They need to transfer every patient to the hospital and hand them over to medical suppliers at that facility. It is a main element of the work of an EMT to make sure that the ambulance is controlled safely at all times while moving the patient to the hospital, and that the patient is correctly protected in the ambulance while transferring. They need to perform intermediate level of prehospital care and need to maintain a consistent standard. Emergency vehicle operation must be provided by them. They should yield patient care to higher authority. It is also a significant duty of the EMT to make sure that the hospital receives a full statement of the situations of the patient.

• Record keeping/Data Collection: It is the duty of an EMT to keep the accurate record of the patients as the printed reports play the role of permanent part of the patient’s medical evidence and text. The detailed information and information obtained by EMTs is also used for billing reason, and the Quality Improvement process is used to evaluate and develop the class of care.

• Patient Advocacy: An EMT is likely to promote his patient, both in terms of presenting his patient to the department as well as in terms of making sure that his patient’s privileges are confined at all times. Since he is a medical supplier, he is likely to pleasure more than just the indications and he is likely to indulgence the patient as a whole. It is a very significant duty of an EMT.

To be an EMT an individual needs to be skilled enough.

Skills in a nutshell:

• EMT should be able to read, write, communicate and interpret the English language when giving and receiving instructions. He needs to advocate the patient’s conditions to the higher health care provider to which he is transferring the patient.
• The EMT should be able to lift heavy objects.
• The EMT should be able to navigate and function over different situations.
• The EMT should be able to read road maps and interpret instructions.
• The EMT should have the capability of function under very high stress and extreme environments.
• The EMT should be able to interview family members of the patients and the bystanders.

Educational requirements:

An individual who is concerned in EMT teaching must contain a GED or high school diploma. The age of the individual should minimum 18 years. The candidates need to go through a physical test and go through a screening for hepatitis B and tuberculosis. States often need a background verification for criminal action, which is very important.

• EMT 1 training: For certification in paramedic, one should undergo EMT 1 training. In community colleges the EMT training will finish within 2-years. Administration of National Highway Traffic Safety has an important role in developing EMT courses. The course work in EMT 1 includes cardiac crisis, management of airways, suffering and patient evaluation. The ability of EMT 1 includes trauma assessment, managing airways of unpleasant victims and providing advance first aid.
• EMT 2 and 3 training: This training is based on the talent gained in EMT 1 training program. The necessities for EMTs at this level differ between states. To complete the training it may take 30 to 350 hours and it depends on scope of practice. This training includes analyzation of rhythms of heart and administering appropriate medications.
• EMT 4 training: This training covers advance medical skills as well as structure and functioning. To complete this program, it takes nearly about 1 to 2 years. The EMT 4 should be able to carry out all the responsibilities of inferior EMT levels. And he is capable of using an extensive variety of complicated equipments.
• Become certified: After completing certification exam of National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians an individual can get the paramedic certification. Many states will recommend exams of credentials for paramedics. Many states want that the paramedics should renew their license after every 2 or 3 years.

The salary of an EMT depends on many issues. The factors include teaching, education and work situation has some influence on wages for EMTs. The primary aspects that decide the salary of EMT also includes location and skill.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of EMT was $27,071 in May 2006. The earning of middle 50% of EMTs ranges from $21,292 to $35,210. And the important part is that the maximum 10% of EMTs earned greater than $45,280. Normally the salary of EMT with less than one year experience is likely to be $10 to $13.50 per hour. And for EMT’s having experience of 1 to 4 years the salary range lies in $10 to $14 per hour bracket. The expected salary of an EMT having experience of 5 to 9 years ranges from $12 to $16, on the other hand the EMT with 10 to 19 years experience gets the salary in between $12 to $18. Finally, the EMTs who have an experience of more than 20 years are likely to get salary of $13 to $20. In general, the benefits of an EMT are same as that of the police officer and a firefighter.

According to the United Bureau of Labor statistics in May 2007 there were around 201,201 paid EMTs or Paramedics working in the United States for a variety of organizations. The national median hourly wage is $14.85 per hour. The national median annual wage is $30,871 using working 2080 hours per year (40 hours per week).

The national average:

The yearly salary can be determined on the basis of 40 working hours.

Benefits of an EMT: EMT gets a full package of additional benefits.

Paid vacations

Sick leave

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plans

Excellent promotional opportunities

Deferred compensation, 401K and flexible spending plans

Prescription drug coverage

Short and long term disability coverage

Paid vacations

More paid holidays

EMTs are considered the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system’s backbone throughout the country. They help in reducing injury, its severity as well as death at the accident scene or unexpected illness while transporting a patient to a hospital facility. Working as an EMT is also physically and emotionally demanding.

As a profession, emergency medical services grow more complex and diverse. Anyone who is involved with EMT jobs knows that he is the first responsible for emergencies. Getting into this profession one definitely requires time, effort and dedication but does not compare to the requirements for obtaining a bachelor’s degree or higher in terms of education.

There are many service prospects within the EMS field.

Career options of EMTs:

Fire service

Ambulance technician

Rescue worker

Firefighter

Paramedic

Emergency medical dispatcher

Search medic

Ski patrol medic

Critical care or flight paramedic

EMS instructor

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics in the US, EMT1 employment will rise 9% in 2008 – 2018. And this rise could be in part attributed to an aging and growing population and to overcrowding in the emergency room. These 2 factors will increase the medical related emergencies and each patient’s care, and as a result it will enhance the EMTs demand and for paramedics too. Because positions without pay for EMTs are increasingly becoming unpleasant, paid positions will probably replace several volunteer positions. The local government jobs generally have greater competition, so those employed in cities or private ambulance companies will most likely enjoy superior job prospects.

The job growths for emergency technicians continue to be favorable in the next coming years.

Related Careers:
Besides fieldwork, EMTs and paramedics are fit to do many roles. Some are interested in becoming dispatchers, teacher, physician helper, or even sales workers too for organizations that trade crisis medical equipments. If an EMT-Paramedic desires to go forward for fieldwork, chances exist as manager, operations managers, and organizational or executive directors of crisis services. They can also become registered nurses; health care professionals and doctors.
The qualities that characterize an EMT or paramedic are precious in several circumstances further than crisis medicine and pre-hospital concern. There are some employees who can take decisions on their own and they are appreciated by the employer and they sometimes take sensible conclusions under demanding and even life-or-death situations. There are some other professions which need these kinds of talent; they are controlling air traffic, law enforcement, and all undergrowth of the armed.

Overview

EMT stands for Emergency Medical Technician. An emergency medical technician is an individual, who is a skilled expert, reacting to disaster situations of a medical nature, which includes car mishap, bonfire and wound happening in workplaces or homes. According to many people an EMT is a paramedic, but it’s totally a wrong concept. EMTs can be divided in ranks, based on their training degree. The EMT with level 4s is measured to be paramedics.

• EMT 1s is those technicians that arrive first at the place of a mishap. These types of EMTs are trained in first aid and basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Nearly all police officers and firefighters get the training of EMT1. Because at the place of an accident the firefighters need to arrive first so this training is essential to charge the circumstances and call for additional assistance.

• EMT 2 or 3 training is an intermediate training. This EMT 2 or 3 needs to use defibrillator to assist in shocking a heart back into normal sinus rhythm. The EMT 2 or 3 also need to put in a catheter to provide a patient with intravenous fluid. They are responsible for performing CPR and evaluate wounded for any injury to the body. The main duty of EMT 2 or 3 technicians is to put patients with assumed head or neck shock on a backboard and transport them to the place where they get the treatment. When the patients are moved to the hospital it’s very important to take the assessment of patients.

• EMT 4 is the paramedic. The EMT 4 is capable of providing all the services that are provided by other EMTs to the patient; in addition to that the EMT4 can also carry out some quite compound medical events in this field. They get the opportunity to give medicines to relieve pain, and also permitted to help someone with cardiac complexity. The EMT4 can also carry out crisis tracheotomies or insert tube in somebody to help reinstate normal inhalation. The detail information taken by EMT 4 assists the hospital and doctor to be ready in order to treat the injuries and the illness of patients.

EMTs play an important role in hospitals. All EMTs require training. Most of the emergency workers in any field hold EMT 1 status, and training may be included in their education in other fields. EMT 2, 3, and 4s usually go to school and they need to receive at least an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science. And EMT 4 further studies to receive a Bachelor’s Degree.

EMTs are responsible for urgent situation medical care of people who are involved in several events, including aggressive assaults, hit, boating and car mishap, and other serious injuries. They provide quick reactions and professional care.  In addition to that more specialized care is provided by EMTs with extra training. All of this care is performed while transporting the patient to the hospital from the place of accident.