Competent, Effective Paramedics
Paramedics provide emergency physician services to ambulances. They are usually part of a team, where they’re paired with a less-skilled and less-knowledgeable emergency medical technician (EMT).
Paramedics are very intelligent, with excellent judgment, including the ability to analyze a situation and decide whether the patient is stable enough for transport to the emergency room. When necessary, the paramedics will execute a life-saving procedure to stabilize them.
Part of this equation is the paramedics’ ability to interpret and reply to instructions in any media. The most effective medics are dedicated to further learning via continuing education and maintaining their licensures.
Competent paramedics are self-disciplined and emotionally stable, with a high tolerance for stress. They function quickly, superbly, and independently in non-structured, highly stressful, dangerous environments.
All paramedics are highly responsible; legally, ethically, and morally. The competent abide by these codes.
Competent, effective paramedics have a desire to work with people. This allows them to develop patient rapport, interview hostile patients, and communicate with diverse cultures.
A vital part of this rapport is obtaining a comprehensive medical history from the patient. This history will include names, strength, daily usage, and dosage of all medications. Paramedics must also determine what medications the patient has used in the past, and how the person’s body responded to them.
These drug aspects include any effects on the pediatric and geriatric, including pregnant women. The latter is especially important to consider, because the placenta will deliver part of the mother’s medication directly to the baby.
The information obtained will allow the paramedics to monitor drip rates for any controlled substances/medications administered in the ambulance.
Besides standard medication issues, paramedics will also be able to help overdosed and/or poisoned patients.
Competent paramedics are thorough report writers, willing to assume legal responsibility for their precise documentation.
They are also capable of providing advanced life support emergency medical services to patients including administrating electrocardiograms (EKGs), electrical cardiac interventions, and administering of appropriate intravenous fluids and medications under direction of off-site designated physician.
Finally, there are the physical requirements for effective medics: good physical stamina and strength, endurance, and motor coordination.
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