Emergency Medical Technicians to the Rescue |
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March 14, 2006
by Gabby Hyman
gabby.hyman@healthcare-programs.com
Healthcare Programs Columnist
My friend Dick M. was feeling a little light-headed two weeks into the New Year. Slender and athletic, he considered himself to be in excellent health. Moments later he fell to the floor. He had just enough time to call 911 before he blacked out. His heart stopped beating in the ambulance. Had it not been for the emergency medical technicians (EMTs), he would have died before reaching the hospital.
There is little doubt that the EMTs saved his life. Dick was suffering from atrial fibrillation and required a four-way angioplasty to restore his blocked arteries. Once at the hospital, surgeons cleared fat and calcium deposits that had fatally clogged Dick's blood vessels, and installed wire-mesh stents to hold the arteries open.
Emergency Medical Technician Training Saves Lives
If you're looking for a meaningful career as an emergency medical technician, it's good to know that your services will be in high demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that EMT jobs will grow by 27 percent or more between now and 2014, much faster than the national average.
Emergency medical technician licensing requirements vary from state to state, but all positions will require formal, advanced training.
A Career as a Emergency Medical Technician
The career path of an emergency medical technician includes training at the levels of EMT-Basic (EMT-1), EMT-Intermediate (EMT-2 and EMT-3), and EMT-Paramedic (EMT-4). Not only do EMTs need to be in good physical condition and able to lift heavy loads, but they also need to maintain up-to-date training in their field.
Your training program will build knowledge of patient assessment methodology and techniques in responding to respiratory, trauma, and cardiac emergencies. To maintain their licensing and certifications, most career EMTs will pursue additional emergency medical technician training and testing every two years.
And if you want to know how much EMTs are appreciated, just ask my friend how grateful he is to these lifesavers.
Sources:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.
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