What Is the Role of an Emergency Medical Technician?

Emergency medical technicians, or EMTs, are first responders who play an essential role in the health care system. By providing basic treatment to patients in distress, they save lives. Whether you are interested in an emergency responder position or wish to test your affinity for the medical field, understanding the EMT role and necessary education might help you decide. In this article, we explain what an emergency medical technician does, what salary to expect, and the requirements needed to become one.

What is an Emergency Medical Technician?

Emergency medical technicians are medical first responders. They are health care professionals who respond to emergencies, have medical knowledge and receive training to assist people in distress.

EMTs provide emergency care for injured or sick people at the scene, such as at a person's home, business, on the street or at an accident site. EMTs treat any life-threatening issues, like significant bleeding or difficulty breathing. Then, they complete a physical exam to find out major health issues.

EMTs can work for hospitals, rescue services, fire departments or private ambulance services. They may work 24-hour shift schedules and on weekends, holidays and nights. Emergency medical technicians are also ambulance drivers. They have the necessary skills to transport patients safely to the hospital in ambulances or by air.

What does an EMT do?

Every emergency call they respond to is different, but here are some of the tasks EMTs do during their shift:

•Respond to 911 calls to provide emergency medical assistance

•Examine the patient to evaluate the severity of injuries or causes of illness

•Provide emergency medical treatment

•Manage time efficiently by prioritizing on-scene tasks and administrative duties

•Transport injured people and ill patients safely

•Treat patients with compassion and respect

•Keep accurate records and document all interventions

•Seek to improve the practice of pre-hospital medicine

•Participate in training exercises

•Respect confidentiality and adhere to ethical practices

•Adhere to procedures and respect medical protocol

•Maintain machinery and equipment

In a senior role, EMTs can:

•Train new EMTs about operational and clinical procedures

•Create training materials and processes and approve them

•Guide and evaluate students and interns

•Provide evaluation of other EMTs and assist them as needed

•Attend Field Training Officer preparation and maintain the status of field trainer

How to become an EMT

Follow these steps to become an emergency medical technician:

1.Earn a high school diploma. A high school diploma or its equivalent is the minimum education required to enter an EMT training program.

2.Fulfill any prerequisites. Some EMT programs have prerequisites aside from the high school degree, such as a clean criminal record, excellent eyesight and physical fitness to lift and move people. Some programs require candidates to hold CPR certification before admission.

3.Attend an EMT training program. There are three levels of training available: EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate and EMT-Paramedic level. Emergency medical services academies, technical schools, universities and community colleges provide such training.

4.Take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians exam (NREMT). After completing training, you need to pass the NREMT certification exam. There is an exam for each level of certification, consisting of a written part and a practical skills test.

5.Get licensed. All states require EMTs to be licensed. Requirements can vary by state, but the NREMT official certification allows individuals to qualify for a license in every state.

6.Maintain your certification. EMTs need to renew their certification every two to three years. To achieve this, they must earn continuing education credits and pass a recertification exam.

EMT training programs

These are the three levels of training available for emergency medical technicians:

EMT-Basic training

EMT-Basic training is the minimum level of certification required to work in emergency medical services. Training includes 100 hours of instruction in urgent situations, such as major disasters, cardiac and respiratory emergencies and childbirth. Courses cover blood stoppage, human anatomy, patient assessment, lifting and moving bodies, trauma and airway management.

EMT-Intermediate training

This level of training consists of 30 to 350 hours of classroom and clinical education. The program provides more in-depth instruction in life support care. Students can learn about medication administration, advanced principles of trauma management and intravenous treatment. Internships may be required to complete these programs.

EMT-Paramedic training

Is the highest level of emergency services training. The program can last up to two years and include courses on medical terminology, psychology and field training. Most EMTs and paramedics also take approximately eight hours of driving instruction before they can drive an ambulance. You can find a list of EMT-approved courses at your local county or state Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMSA).

Skills for an emergency medical technician

These skills are beneficial for a career in emergency medical services:

•Compassion: EMTs need to provide emotional support to patients in emergencies. Compassion is especially important for patients in extreme mental distress or life-threatening conditions.

•Listening skills: EMTs need to listen to patients to assess their medical condition and understand their illnesses or injuries.

•Alertness: Focus and alertness are crucial to allow EMTs to make decisions in life-threatening situations.

•Interpersonal skills: As an emergency medical technician, you usually work on teams and must coordinate activities with others in challenging situations.

•Physical strength: The job of an EMT requires a lot of lifting, kneeling and bending. EMTs need to be physically fit.

•Problem-solving skills: Problem-solving skills are essential to discern patients' symptoms and find appropriate treatments.

•Communication skills: When you work as an emergency medical technician, you need to give instructions, clearly explain procedures to patients and communicate information to other team members or third parties.

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