Emergency Medical Technician

Emergency Medical Technician

Duties and Responsibilities:

Your job duties as an EMT can depend on your level of training and experience, as well as state regulations. The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) offers certification at five levels, and each level involves additional training in order to perform a greater variety of medical treatments (www.nremt.org). The most common levels of training for EMTs are EMT - Basic, EMT - Intermediate, and EMT - Paramedic (commonly called paramedics). The NREMT also certifies EMR (emergency medical responders) and advanced EMTs, although these levels of certification are not recognized in all states. All emergency medical technicians are responsible for rushing to the scene of crisis and can perform basic life-saving techniques, including:

-Patient assessment

-Burn management

-Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

-Emergency birth assistance

-Extrication of patients from dangerous situations

Salary: $31,700

Demands and education for this profession:

Every state and the District of Columbia require EMTs and paramedics to become certified, many requiring registration with the NREMT at some determined level; some states give their certification test. Continued employment as an emergency medical worker, re registration every 2 years, and continuing education courses are required to maintain certification.