An EMT is an exceptional human being often the first point of contact in emergency medical situations. EMTs are tasked with some of the most vital duties in the medical field. The work of an EMT is incredibly challenging, but it’s also exciting, exhilarating, adrenaline-filled and most importantly uniquely fulfilling.
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An EMT’s typical day could include
Getting ready for the day
The first three tasks of your day are; arriving early, checking out the ambulance, and getting breakfast together as a team because everything in EMS is done as a team. As you greet your crew, ask how your partner is doing.
Being on standby
When in service, you and your partner wait, either at the base or in the truck, for calls to come in. As long as you remain near your truck, you will be able to respond to a call quickly.
When a call comes in, you’ll receive a phone call from a dispatcher, giving you the address and the nature of the call. The information you get is usually short and vague, but it gives you a rough idea of what to expect.
The calls you respond to are usually not directly life-threatening. Paramedics respond to those calls.
Since response times are very important in medical assist calls, you will get on the road as quickly as you can.
Knowing you city inside out
Be aware of street names in your city so that as soon as your 911 alarms ring you’re not stranded and know immediately where to go. Sometimes, but not always, you’ll drive with lights and sirens. The decision is made based on the nature of the call and department policy.
Having complete knowledge of the situation
Have full knowledge of how the medical equipment works so that in an emergency situation you’re able to treat the patient and everything goes smoothly.
Assessing the patient
Once on scene, you’ll make contact with the patient and begin assessment, and if the patient is unstable, begin any appropriate treatments that you are allowed to provide.
When you’re ready, you’ll move the patient on the stretcher and transport them to the hospital. At the hospital, you provide a report to the staff detailing the medical condition of the patient and how the injury came about.
After handling the case
After each call, you will disinfect the truck, replace any equipment you used up, and complete a patient care report. This report will be recorded in case the incident was a crime and needs to be further investigated later on.
After the report is completed, you notify dispatch that you’re back in service, at which point they will either send you back to base or send you out to another call.
Preparing the next EMT
If you are sent back to base at the end of an extremely busy day, you will wash the truck, clean the floor, and turn in the keys. You will also explain to the next EMT what equipment you needed to use and how your day went.
Tips to restore a healthy work life balance
As you can see 24 hours in a day rarely seem enough, maintaining a healthy balance can be hard. Here are some tips to help restore work life balance:
- Take responsibility for the maximum hours that you are willing to work every week
- Recognize that overtime can cause fatigue and stress
- Know how to say no if you can’t fill that extra shift your supervisor asks you for
- Have a support system at work who can trade with you when you need a day off
- Take care of yourself by eating right and resting enough when possible
- Stay both physically and mentally fit. This is most important since your job involves carrying patients or dealing with traumatized patients and their family members.
“Your entire day will be split between running calls and waiting in service. The reasons why you decided to train and learn for this role will be put to the test during every call to service. You may not remember their names at the end of the day but they will remember yours and how you were there when you were needed the most.”
These are a few incredible things EMTs do every day to make the world a safer place. As the next generation of EMTs joins their ranks, the list of good deeds will continue to grow. Wait for that one call that is going to change how you see the world. And there will be countless success stories that reveal why you do what you do.
What is included in the MissionCIT’s Basic EMT Course
The list below shows the breakdown of the modules covered for the EMT-B: National Standard Curriculum.
There are 46 lessons in this core curriculum. Three additional lessons are required to complete the advanced airway elective if offered.
The course includes:
• Preparatory
• Airway
• Patient Assessment
• Medical/Behavioral Emergencies and Obstetrics/Gynecology
• Trauma
• Infants and Children
• Operations
• Advanced Airway (Elective)
