Paramedic

putting a patient into an ambulance

Definition

• A paramedic is a health care professional who works for the emergency medical services, usually on an ambulance.
• They help people who have been injured or become ill very suddenly.

Function

• Paramedics can do many different things to decide what the problem is and to treat the patient at the scene.
• If it is needed, they then take the person to a hospital in the ambulance.
• They try to prevent the person's illness from getting worse before they reach the hospital, where doctors and nurses will take over care.

• Paramedics have to work in many different types of emergency, and cannot predict what the next one will be.
• People often use the term "paramedic" for anyone who works on an ambulance.
• However, not all ambulance crew have paramedic as their job title.
• "Emergency Medical Technicians" or "Emergency Care Assistants" do similar work but have less training.
• Some ambulances also have doctors and nurses. In many countries, the title of "paramedic" is for those who have taken a specific training course.

Work Environment

• Most EMTs and paramedics work full time.
• Their work can be physically strenuous and stressful, sometimes involving life-or-death situations.

Training

• Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics typically complete a postsecondary educational program.

Compensation

• The median annual wage for EMTs and paramedics was $36,930 in May 2021 in the United States.

Gallery

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Videos

• Ambulance (Urgences-Santé) 911 call

Other websites

• Emergency Health Services of Quebec (in French)
• EMT's and paramedics BLS

Paramedic Resources
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