Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Job Description

If any accident or mishap takes place, the first persons to come forward to the patient's rescue are emergency medical technicians or EMTs. The first and the foremost task of the emergency medical technician is to quickly respond to the call received from the dispatcher and drive to the location as fast as possible, so that appropriate emergency medical care is provided to the patient at the right time. The other emergency medical technician responsibilities include providing immediate treatment to the injured or to those who are seriously ill, and assisting in the transportation of the patients to the medical facility as per the situation or as per the directions provided to them.

Key Responsibilities of an Emergency Medical Technician

Emergency medical technicians always need to be on their toes, as they are expected to respond and act immediately in cases of emergencies. Here is a detailed description of the key responsibilities that need to be handled by an emergency medical technician:

To review the area of the actual incident and its surroundings and take a closer look at the situation. Depending on it, they may request for additional assistance, if there are more number of patients that need immediate care
To make the place completely safe by removing the debris, placing the road flares, clearing the traffic on the road, and directing it in an appropriate manner, so that the patient is transported safely and speedily to the medical facility
To assess the depth, extent, and nature of illness of infants, children, and adults. Accordingly, they help in bandaging of wounds, controlling the hemorrhage, immobilization of deformed, painful extremities, neck or spine, providing ventilation to the patients, administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation, shock treatment, etc.
To assist in the birth of a child in emergency situations
To ensure and assist in proper administration of medications, oral glucose, and or oxygen as per the requirements
They should not make hasty decisions and take utmost care to avoid mishandling

They assist in extricating the patient if he is trapped and ensures that proper care, precautions, and safety measures are followed. They assist in lifting the patient and placing him on the stretcher and ensuring that he receives prompt medical care. Documenting the observations and treatment measures that have been provided is also a part of their duty. Once the patient has been admitted, they provide assistance to the medical staff and give them detailed information about the procedures that they carried out. In addition to these, they are also responsible for disinfecting the surroundings, cleaning of all the medical equipment used in the treatment, replacing the used linens and stocking of medical supplies, and decontaminating the ambulance, if the patient is suffering from any contagious disease.

Essential Skills

Emergency medical technicians mostly need to function in emergency situations. Thus, they:

Need to be flexible and alert at all times and provide immediate medical care
Should be able to lift the morale of the patient and give him confidence and emotional support by relieving his mental stress, especially in extreme situations
Should have excellent interpersonal communication skills and should be able to take appropriate decisions related to medical care even under pressure situations.
Must remain fit physically, as their work involves a lot of physical activities like lifting, bending, etc.
Should remain cool and calm even in emergencies

Educational Qualifications

To qualify as an emergency medical technician, you must complete a diploma or a cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification. A course related to physiology or anatomy would prove to be beneficial. There are two levels involved: the basic level caters to handling the emergencies while the advanced level course provides training related to handling of more complex situations. NREMT certification would prove to be an advantage.

Work Conditions

They need to function in all types of weather and work inside the hospitals or may need to work outdoors, either full time or at odd timings.

Salary Details

The average salary falls in the range of $28,000 to $31,000. The minimum salary offered is $19,000, while the highest salary is near about $51,000.

Career Prospects

The job prospects are bright, as there are increasing number of emergencies like accidents, increasing violence, and natural calamities.

Thus, they play a crucial role in providing compassionate care and attention by making the pateints feel comfortable and assuring them that their lives would be saved for sure.

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