Emergency medical technician
An emergency medical technician (EMT) is someone who works on an ambulance and takes care of sick and hurt people. EMTs used to be called "ambulance drivers," since much of their work is bringing people to an emergency room. Their other main duty is first aid including:[1]
- Doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and give electric shocks to a person's chest if their heart is beating in a way that could kill them
- Giving oxygen (or force oxygen into a person's lungs) if they stop breathing or are not breathing well enough to survive
- Inserting a breathing tube down someone's windpipe to help them breathe better.
- Stopping hemorrhaging (bleeding so bad that it will kill a person if not stopped)
- Treating burns
- Treat very bad physical trauma (injuries)
- Helping people who are pregnant give birth
- Treating broken bones, dislocated joints, sprains, and wounds
The Star of Life, a global symbol of the emergency medical service
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Learning to evacuate an injured person
In the United States
In the United States, each state decides what their EMTs can do. EMTs in every state are allowed to perform first aid. Each state has different rules for exactly what their EMTs can do. These rules are called treatment protocols. For example:
- In Massachusetts, EMTs can give medicines to treat heart attacks, breathing emergencies (like asthma attacks), anaphylaxis, very low blood sugar, and overdoses on opiates like heroin and oxycodone.[2]
- In New Hampshire, EMTs are allowed to place a rescue airway in a patient who cannot breathe. This means they will place a tube down the patient's throat, then force oxygen into the lungs through the tube.[3]
Related pages
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Emergency medical technicians.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (January 8, 2014). "Occupational Outlook Handbook: EMTs and Paramedics, 2014-2015 Edition". www.bls.gov. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
- Massachusetts Office of Emergency Medical Services. "Emergency Medical Services Statewide Treatment Protocols". www.mass.gov. Executive Office of Health & Human Services. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
- New Hampshire Department of Safety (January 2013). "State of New Hampshire Patient Care Protocols" (PDF). www.mass.gov. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
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