Every day people’s lives depend on the fast reaction of paramedics. Heart attacks, car accidents, childbirth, drowning, and gunshot wounds will all require immediate medical assistance. Paramedic professionals give much needed vital attention as they assess the patient’s needs and transport them to the hospital.
Paramedics are usually dispatched by the 911 operator. Once they arrive on the scene, they often work with fire fighters and police officers. They assess the patient’s needs and determine the nature of the patient’s condition. They also try to ascertain if the patient has any existing medical conditions. Through following strict guidelines and rules, emergency workers give the correct kind of emergency medical care.
Some medical professionals will be trained to treat individuals with minor injuries on the scene of a car accident or even in their home without having to transport them to a medical facility. The treatment for more complex problems will be carried out under the supervision of physicians by radio, before and during the transport phase. They also provide pre hospital care extensively.
In addition to the methods above, the paramedics give drugs intravenously and orally to the patient. They also interpret electro cardiograms, use monitors, do end tracheal intubations and other complex medical equipment. The working conditions include working both indoors and outdoors in all kinds of weather. Emergency workers are required to do a considerable amount of bending, stooping, kneeling and heavy lifting. Some people find the work of an emergency medical technician challenging and exciting.
They enjoy the opportunity to help others in need. Paramedics are usually employed by fire departments and work approximately 40 to 50 hours a week. Other paramedics are employed by hospitals and work anywhere from 40 to 50 hours a week. Still, other paramedics are employed by private ambulance companies and work anywhere from 50 to 60 hours a week.
In 2010, paramedics held approximately 300,000 jobs. Most career paramedics will be found to work in metropolitan areas. There are many more paramedics and emergency medical technicians that work in smaller towns and cities, as well as rural areas. Training for medical emergency workers is very extensive. At this level, the care giver gets additional training in body function and learns many more advanced skills than the traditional emergency medical technician.
The education requirement for the paramedic requires that the person graduate from a school and get his certificate. He will also be required to take the National Registry Emergency Medical Technician examination. Clinical field experience and extensive related coursework is required in the training. Because of the longer training requirement, almost all paramedic positions are paid, rather than volunteer. Refresher courses are also available for all paramedics at any level.
Job opportunities for paramedics are expected to grow faster than the average job through 2018. Due to population growth and urbanization, the demand for full-time paramedics will be higher than usual. Also, the aging baby boomer population is expected to grow the demand for their services as well.
Almost all community colleges offer training for paramedics. In addition, hospitals and some state colleges may offer training. The training will usually consist of 750 to 1,500 hours of class instruction and also on site instruction. A lot of sacrifice and studying is required to reach this level, but becoming a paramedic will also increase your chances of getting a good job.
Approximately 20 percent of all fire departments across the United States now require their fire applications to become paramedics before they take the exam. You have to remember that in order to become a paramedic, you first have to become an EMT. If you are in the process of becoming a paramedic, then you can check out various online sources for more information on the topic.
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