What is an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic?
Job Description: Assess injuries, administer emergency medical care, and extricate trapped individuals. Transport injured or sick persons to medical facilities.
Life As an EMT or Paramedic: What Do They Do?
- Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel.
- Decontaminate ambulance interior following treatment of patient with infectious disease and report case to proper authorities.
- Perform emergency diagnostic and treatment procedures, such as stomach suction, airway management, or heart monitoring, during ambulance ride.
- Immobilize patient for placement on stretcher and ambulance transport, using backboard or other spinal immobilization device.
- Observe, record, and report to physician the patient’s condition or injury, the treatment provided, and reactions to drugs or treatment.
- Coordinate with treatment center personnel to obtain patients’ vital statistics and medical history, to determine the circumstances of the emergency, and to administer emergency treatment.
Things an EMT or Paramedic Should Know How to Do
These are the skills Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics say are the most useful in their careers:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Related Job Titles
- First Responder
- Full-time Paramedic
- Paramedic
- Rescue Worker
- EMT/Paramedic (Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic)
Job Opportunities for Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics
There were about 248,000 jobs for Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 15.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 37,400 new jobs for Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic by 2026. The BLS estimates 19,400 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for EMT or Paramedic are Colorado, Arizona, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Mississippi, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
EMT or Paramedic Salary
The typical yearly salary for Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics is somewhere between $22,760 and $58,640.
Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics who work in Washington, District of Columbia, or Hawaii, make the highest salaries.
How much do Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $30,260 |
| Alaska | $47,780 |
| Arizona | $38,260 |
| Arkansas | $31,800 |
| California | $39,350 |
| Colorado | $42,320 |
| Connecticut | $46,890 |
| Delaware | $40,730 |
| District of Columbia | $57,270 |
| Florida | $35,790 |
| Georgia | $33,950 |
| Hawaii | $54,370 |
| Idaho | $37,960 |
| Illinois | $41,940 |
| Indiana | $34,040 |
| Iowa | $35,760 |
| Kansas | $30,520 |
| Kentucky | $31,430 |
| Louisiana | $36,930 |
| Maine | $34,170 |
| Maryland | $49,490 |
| Massachusetts | $41,570 |
| Michigan | $33,720 |
| Minnesota | $42,460 |
| Mississippi | $33,310 |
| Missouri | $34,560 |
| Montana | $33,020 |
| Nebraska | $33,130 |
| Nevada | $36,240 |
| New Hampshire | $38,390 |
| New Jersey | $37,460 |
| New Mexico | $35,660 |
| New York | $44,120 |
| North Carolina | $36,200 |
| North Dakota | $32,680 |
| Ohio | $32,200 |
| Oklahoma | $33,020 |
| Oregon | $42,470 |
| Pennsylvania | $33,980 |
| Rhode Island | $40,070 |
| South Carolina | $34,570 |
| South Dakota | $32,360 |
| Tennessee | $36,600 |
| Texas | $36,620 |
| Utah | $33,870 |
| Vermont | $34,290 |
| Virginia | $35,310 |
| Washington | $67,600 |
| West Virginia | $30,690 |
| Wisconsin | $34,780 |
| Wyoming | $34,120 |
What Tools & Technology do Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft operating system
How do I Become an EMT or Paramedic?
What kind of Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic requirements are there?
What work experience do I need to become an EMT or Paramedic?
Who Employs Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics?
Below are examples of industries where Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics work:
Similar Careers
Those interested in being an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic may also be interested in:
Those who work as an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: {} via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Emergency Medicine Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.