Emergency Medical Technician Basic and Paramedic

 

Career and Major Information
Earnings
Related Occupations
Related Web Sites

 

Career and Major Information:

Walters State's Associate of Applied Science Paramedic and Technical Certificate Emergency Medical Technician programs are designed to prepare successful graduates for employment opportunities as paramedics and emergency medical technicians, or EMTs.  After being dispatched to the scene of an emergency such as an accident, they assess the patient’s condition while determining the extent of pre-existing medical problems. They provide appropriate emergency care and, at times, transport the patient to a healthcare facility. Advanced paramedics are trained to treat patients’ injuries on the scene of an accident or at their home transporting them to a medical facility.  EMTs and paramedics are trained to use special equipment such as backboards, suction devices, splints, oxygen delivery systems, and stretchers. Some paramedics work as part of the flight crew of helicopters that transport critically ill or injured patients to hospital trauma centers.  Once at the medical facility, paramedics help transfer patients to the emergency department and report their observations and actions to emergency room staff. After each run, EMTs and paramedics replace used supplies in the ambulance and check equipment. If a transported patient had a contagious disease, EMTs and paramedics decontaminate the interior of the ambulance.

Beyond these general duties, the responsibilities of paramedics and EMTs vary with their level of qualification and training.  Basic EMTs can manage respiratory, cardiac, and trauma emergencies by restoring breathing, treating heart attack victims, and controlling bleeding.  They are also trained to treat patients for shock or assist in emergency childbirth. Intermediate EMTs have more advanced training and are able to provide more intensive care procedures such as the administration of intravenous fluids, the use of manual defibrillators, and the application of advanced airway techniques and equipment to assist patients experiencing respiratory emergencies. The most highly trained EMT is a paramedic.  In addition to carrying out the procedures already described, paramedics may administer drugs orally and intravenously, interpret electrocardiograms (EKGs), and perform endotracheal intubations.

Most jobs may be found in private ambulance services, but EMTs and paramedics are also employed by local governments, including fire, police, and independent third-service rescue squad departments.

A minimum of some postsecondary training such as a technical certificate is required for an EMT because of  the critical, life-threatening nature of the work.  Faster than average growth is expected through the year 2012 due to the increasing aged population and the subsequent increased need for emergency services.

 

Earnings:

The Tennessee Career Information Delivery System website lists the salary range for a beginning-level position in this field in Tennessee as $17,355 to $22,670 annually.  With experience, the range increases to $24,250 to $38,910.  The national average is higher by about $1,000 per year.  Salary figures quoted are based on national figures. Local or regional salaries may be lower.

 

Related Occupations:

Firefighting occupations

Physician Assistants

Law Enforcement

Registered Nurse

Licensed Practical Nurse

 

Related Web Sites:

National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians

            http://www.naemt.org

 

National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians

            http://www.nremt.org/

 

National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, EMS Division

            http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/ems

 

Much of the above information was collected from the 2004-2005 Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. Department of Labor.  For additional information on these and many other careers, please visit the following web sites:

 

Occupational Outlook Handbook - U.S. Department of Labor

www.bls.gov/oco/

 

Tennessee Career Information Delivery System (TCIDS)

http://tcids.tbr.edu/.

 

 

For information regarding specific degree program requirements, curriculum, or faculty, please see the department website at http://www.ws.edu/publicsafety/default.asp.