EMT training and Paramedic certification is known as an ideal career choice for many, and has been for several years. The articles offered on this website contain and provide the needs, course information, and solutions regarding paramedic training, schools, and EMT courses. Additionally, you will be able to research EMT and paramedic educational institutions and courses to, hopefully, find one that one that will be right for you.
The prerequisites and the route towards certification could be complex as well as confusing. The necessary education varies by certification level and college and course requirements, along with specifics which are obligatory by each school, also vary. In addition, states and countries mandate their own training and education accreditations. Nonetheless, knowing what to expect when you embark on this path can alleviate any uncertainties.
The initial step
to be taken for paramedic empolyment involves obtaining a simple EMT certification. Just before starting formal instruction it’s smart to decide if you really possess an aptitude for this type of EMS work. You can do this without having to invest anything at all by volunteering at a fire station, local hospital, or possibly a medical or health care facility. There you are going to acquire a connection with patients and gain exposure to healthcare practices when you observe medical personnel at work. This will allow you to better see whether employment inside the emergency medical industry is an educational path you are able to or wanting to do.
Partake in a Red Cross Course
An Advanced First-aid Provider Course delivers some skills which are also used when taking EMS courses. These will educate you in field emergency techniques ranging from cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to assessment skills and triage strategies. These fundamental (and essential) skills) are ones you’ll be called upon to implement during your EMS courses and, of course, later, in your paramedic career. This is another route you can take to determine if you have the necessary aptitude for an EMS career.
Once you’re assured that the emergency healthcare industry is right for you, then you can be confident going forward and pursue EMT training certification. These EMS educational opportunities can be found in all 50 states. The academic requirements and acceptance prerequisites for entering course-work could vary school-to-school and state-to-state; although the fundamental prerequisites will be the same.
Entrance prerequisites include:
- High school diploma or GED
- Drug test, including screening for tuberculosis and hepatitis B
- 18 years of age (though many classes you can start as young as 16)
- Pass a physical examination including current Immunization Records
- Background Check
- Oral interview
Courses and programs can vary in calendar length. The fast-track basic training programs might be completed in only three to six weeks, based on the class hours held in one day. A longer period of training time would involve the clinicals and the “on the job - in the field” experience that is required. Typical EMT Basic training typically involves 120-150 plus hours of EMS classroom instruction that is usually taught and then implemented over a duration of 12 weeks to 6 months, depending upon the schedule of the class.
Most schools and programs consist of four groups of medical technician training and three levels of certification, each with a degree of accreditation.
- First Responder: Certification consists of approved course classroom work, 40 to 60 hours of hands-on fieldwork, and training in several patient care responsibilities. These include, but are not limited to: CPR, airway maintenance, defibrillation AED, emergency oxygen administration, splinting and bandaging, trauma assessment, and emergency childbirth. Once First Responder certification is achieved, EMT courses continue.
- EMT Basic: The next level of certification, usually the entry level, and designed to provide the instruction needed in order to help you enter the workforce in a relatively short period of time. Basic EMT courses require approximately 200 additional hours of instruction and techniques. Along with the skills described above, a certificate as a Basic EMT approves you to assess patient needs, administer certain types of medications, and implement life-saving methods. Community colleges and even some Tech schools offer EMT-Basic classes, and can run about 3 to 6 months, or one semester.
- EMT Intermediate: EMT-I/85 (lower level) and EMT-I/99 (higher level) will be the next level of training. Roughly 250-275 hours of field work, while offering teaching on patient care in a greater degree of assistance, is the main focus of these courses. Skills acquired are numerous and include intravenous cannulation, nasogastric tubes, endotracheal intubation, needle-decompression of hysteria pneumothorax, as well as the administering of certain medications.
EMT certification puts you are on your way to a career as a Paramedic.
Often referred to as EMT paramedic training, this is the highest level of emergency medical instruction. This accreditation takes between 12 and 24 months to complete and involves approximately 1,000-1,500 hours of training. Advanced EMT paramedic training courses typically involve up to 2 years for an Associate Degree program. This paramedic course program covers all the attributes acquired in EMT training, yet in much more depth, and much deeper coursework. Examples: physiology and anatomy, airway management, patient assessment survey and triage, oxygen therapy, bleeding and injury control, care for fractures, spinal injuries, cardiac arrest, and treatment of shock. These skills and various other medical emergencies are taught in both the classroom and clinicals for hands-on EMS, life-saving instruction. A paramedic student will also have an overview introduction to pharmacology.
Following completion of the paramedic courses, passing the NREMT exam is necessary to be certified. Currently 46 states in the U.S. require the exam for a certification to be awarded.
Can you do it?
Are you prepared to lift heavy objects, work indoors and outside, and willing to work more than 40 hours a week (irregular hours too, due to shift schedules)? Do you thrive in high pressure situations, aren’t put off by blood or dreadful scenes, and have a natural proficiency for biology, anatomy and physiology? If you can answer yes, then a calling as an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic may be for you. More important, if you care about helping others and can keep a cool head and stay focused in stressful situations, then you could be a perfect candidate this line of work. EMS personnel are usually the first responders to arrive on scene for medical emergencies, health care assistance, and 911 calls. Often their emergency response expertise can mean effect life and death. Explore the following articles for current information on how to get started in the highly sufficient career.