EMTs and Paramedics

EMTs and Paramedics typically perform the following tasks: • Administer drugs, orally or by injection, or perform intravenous procedures. • Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings. • Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures. • Attend training classes to maintain certification licensure, keep abreast of new developments in the field, or maintain existing knowledge. • Comfort and reassure patients. • 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. • Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel. • Instruct emergency medical response team about emergency interventions to ensure correct application of procedures. • Observe, record, and report to physician the patient's condition or injury, the treatment provided, and reactions to drugs or treatment. • Operate equipment, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), external defibrillators, or bag valve mask resuscitators, in advanced life support environments. • Perform emergency cardiac care, such as cardioversion and manual defibrillation. • Perform emergency invasive intervention before delivering patient to an acute care facility. • Perform emergency pharmacological interventions.