Become an EMT

Lives often depend on the quick, capable response of emergency medical technicians, or EMTs. EMTs are the first responders to emergency situations such as car accidents or heart attacks, providing immediate care to patients on-site and then transporting them to the hospital in an ambulance. This article provides information on the job of an EMT, education and training required to become an EMT, and EMT career options.

Steps

Gain Skills and Training to Become an EMT

  1. Get CPR-certified. Having a certification in CPR is a requirement for becoming EMT certified. In some cases CPR training is included in EMT certification programs, but in some cases it is not. Contact your local Red Cross for information about CPR certification classes.
  2. Enroll in an EMT certification program. Every US state has a certification procedure for becoming a basic EMT, or EMT-B, that typically entails taking 30-60 hours of courses in emergency skills, and in some cases, gaining experience in an emergency room setting. These courses are offered at many community colleges. Students learn the following skills:
    • How to use emergency equipment properly
    • How to handle bleeding, fractures, burns, cardiac arrest, and emergency childbirth, among other common emergency situations
    • How to administer oxygen
  3. Pass the National Registry EMT-Basic Exam (NREMT). This exam is required in order to receive official certification as an EMT-B. In order to pass the NREMT, you have to meet the following requirements:
    • Be 18 years of age or older.
    • Have proof that you received CPR certification, and demonstrated proficiency at the EMT-B level.
    • Show that you completed an EMT certification program.
    • Complete an EMT-B psychomotor exam. This exam tests your physical abilities, and varies from state to state.

Launch a Career as an EMT

  1. Find a job as an EMT-B. Once you're certified, look at job listings at local hospitals, police stations, fire stations, and private emergency services providers. The health care industry is growing, and there are plenty of opportunities for EMT-Bs.
  2. Consider advancing to intermediate EMT, or EMT-II, level. EMT-IIs take on more responsibilities than EMT-Bs, including administering IVs and using defibrillators to resuscitate people in cardiac arrest. The EMT-II certification process is similar to that of an EMT-B, but requires more coursework.
  3. Become a paramedic. Paramedics have more training and expertise than other EMTs. In addition to performing all the duties of EMT-Bs and EMT-IIs, paramedics may administer medication, read EKGs, and handle sophisticated medical equipment. Additional training and certifications are required for becoming a paramedic.

Prepare for a the Life of an EMT

  1. Understand what the job entails. EMTs work in hospitals, police or fire departments, or for private emergency care providers. They are dispatched to the scene of emergency situations by 911 operators. Upon arrival at the scene, EMTs have the following responsibilities:
    • Assess the situation. EMTs evaluate and make a clear record of the patient's physical state.
    • Determine whether the patient has pre-existing conditions. This is an important step that EMTs must take before treating the patient.
    • Administer CPR and First Aid, when necessary. EMTs are trained to know how to respond appropriately to a huge range of medical emergencies, from premature labor to poisonings to burns.
    • Transport the patient to the hospital. Using a stretcher and other emergency equipment, EMTs safely transport the patient from the scene of the emergency to the hospital. EMTs typically work in teams of two, with one EMT driving the ambulance and the other monitoring the patient's vital signs.
    • Transfer the patient to the hospital's care. At the hospital, the EMT assists with transferring the patient to the emergency room. The EMT provides a detailed report of the patient's condition to the hospital staff.
    • If necessary, provide additional medical treatment.
  2. Be willing to work under adverse conditions. There's no predicting when an emergency will occur, and EMTs provide service twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. EMTs are usually "on call" for a total of 40 - 50 hours a week.
    • In addition to being willing to work nights, EMTs also must be flexible enough to take on weekend and holiday hours.
    • EMTs often have to perform heavy lifting and other physically challenging tasks.
    • EMTs must be comfortable working in a range of settings, both inside and outside, and in all types of weather.
    • EMTs have to be ready to encounter dangerous situations, such as responding to an accident on an icy road.
  3. Be ready to assume the highest responsibility. EMTs are usually the first professionals to interact with patients at emergency scenes. In addition to administering life-saving medical care, they must interact with family members and witnesses who may be very emotional. Know your capacity for handling extreme stress and holding up under pressure before pursuing a career as an EMT.

Tips

  • Spend some time getting in shape. Upper body strength and endurance are important to succeeding as an EMT.
  • Take a CPR and First Aid course to determine your aptitude for EMT work.
  • Be ready and willing to deal with death. You can work on someone all the way to the ER but they still die. It is not your fault sometimes people just die.

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