Paramedic Careers
Paramedics enjoy fast-paced careers administering emergency medical care to individuals. If you want to be on the front lines of healthcare, a paramedic career may be for you.
Paramedic Careers Are Exciting and Fast-Paced
A paramedic's role is pivotal in emergencies or accidents in which medical assessment and care are required. These events range from falls and pneumonia to bullet wounds and car accidents.
Typically dispatched by 911 operators, paramedics assess any ill or injured person's condition and determine if pre-existing diseases exist. They immediately administer any necessary care, immobilize the patient when necessary using special equipment such as a backboard, and then transport the individual to a nearby hospital or other facility. Once there, they help move the patient to the emergency department, where they report to the staff their observations and intervention. Paramedics also may shuttle patients from one medical facility to another.
Following each transport, paramedics document the trip, check their equipment, replenish supplies, and, when necessary, report any contagious disease cases to the appropriate authorities.
Paramedic Careers: How Can I Enter this Field?
Because paramedic is the highest attainable level of emergency medical provider, these professionals use more complex equipment and perform a greater number of procedures than emergency medical technicians (EMTs), such as administering medications, interpreting electrocardiograms, and placing tracheal tubes. What paramedics are allowed to do varies from state to state.
Paramedic careers require graduation from a formal emergency medical technician training program. A high school diploma typically is required for entry. The training can take one to two years, and may result in the student earning an associate's degree. Following completion of training, candidates must pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians' exam (NREMT) to become certified as a paramedic.
The Following Schools Provide Educational Programs For Paramedic Careers:
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