EMT Training

EMT Training: Climbing The Ladder To Help Save Lives

Do you want a career that is dynamic, pumps the adrenalin and makes a difference in society? Can you imagine yourself responding to a 911 call to save a life? If you answered yes to both questions, then you may want to look into EMT training to give you a heads up on this vital allied health service. Experience will build your confidence, but education will provide you with the skills and knowledge to be competent at the job.

EMT is emergency medical technology and professionals on the job are called technicians. An emergency medical technician is the first to respond during cases of emergency, assessing injuries and conditions of patients and giving the necessary first-aid care or treatment until they are brought to a hospital where doctors and nurses take over.

Minimum requirement to be accepted for EMT training is a high school diploma or its GED equivalent.  And you need to be at least 18 years old. There are three levels of training - basic, intermediate, paramedic -- and testing is mandatory after completing each level.  The exams are administered by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

The basic level

The EMT-Basic training is the first step to gain entry into this exciting occupation. Beyond CPR and first-aid, this program will teach you about trauma, respiratory and cardiac problems, the most common conditions among individuals needing emergency care.  The focus is responding to emergency cases and you have both classroom and field work to master the skills.

After completing the program, graduates should be well versed in cardiac, respiratory and circulatory issues. Moreover, there is instruction on how to respond to calamities and individual cases such as heart attacks, drug overdose, stroke and cerebrovascular attacks, bleeding, fractures and the all-important childbirth.

It is at this basic level of EMT training where you learn about the tools of the trade, which include stretchers, backboards and other medical equipment most often utilized during emergencies like respirators and oxygen devices.

Level 2: Gaining more proficiency

You completed the basic level of the emergency medical technician training and have been on the job for a while already. But you want to learn more and add to your skills. So you enroll in the EMT-Intermediate level, where you will be taught pharmacology, advance devices (airway, circulation-defibrillator machines) and IV fluids.

This time, you'll need at least 50 to 350 hours of training to be proficient in the job and to qualify as a higher level of emergency responder. It's no joke training to be an EMT responder because time is always of the essence. The hands-on training is a necessary component because only through practice can you hope to respond better and faster and save more lives.

The paramedic

Over time, you would have gained the necessary experience in emergency medical technology and will likely pursue the next level EMT training -- that to become a paramedic. You either have a certification as EMT-Basic responder or EMT-Intermediate to qualify for the paramedic training.

It will take another two years to complete this advanced training and pass the certification exam to become a full-fledged paramedic. That's because the minimum required number of clinical training at this level is between 1,200 to 1,800 hours. Anatomy, physiology and pharmacology are among the paramedic courses in this program.

Your skills of course become more complex, allowing you to break skin, give shots and use more sophisticated life-saving equipment. And most likely after training, you will head emergency medical teams while earning more with your paramedic salary.

To appreciate EMT training better, it would help to have had some volunteer experience prior to enrollment so you can have a feel for the job. This can be a very stressful occupation, whether you are an EMT-B technician or a paramedic. Exceptional training, whether online or through traditional classroom instruction, is crucial to becoming proficient at this crucial job, but it is your deep and sincere desire to save lives that will be the rewards of the profession.

Your ladder to a meaningful occupation begins by taking the first step in EMT training.

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