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What is a day like for an EMT?

I'm interested in being an EMT after high school #doctor #medicine #emt

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Daniela’s Answer

Hi Maurice,


EMTs or Emergency Medical Technicians are the health care professionals who initially assess the condition of the patients and determine the necessary course of action. These workers provide medical support to the patients while they are carried to the hospitals. They respond to the emergencies arising out of causalities like criminal violence, natural disasters, fires, air and land accidents, etc. Most of them render their services on a land ambulance but may also work on an air ambulance plane or helicopter.


The job of an EMT is emotionally as well as physically demanding. They have to work on weekends and in odd hours, and in conjunction with emergency care assistants, paramedics, police and firefighters. These workers are generally employed by inter-hospital transport services, ambulance services, rescue and fire departments, and health care facilities. At times, the job of EMTs seems to be stressful as they have to shoulder a lot of responsibilities during emergency conditions. Their profession involves bending, kneeling, and moving and lifting the patients. They are exposed to injuries and contagious diseases. But, this career gives you a mental satisfaction as you save the lives of several people going through a critical phase.


Duties and Responsabilities:



  • Drive to the scene and provide basic life support to the victims before they are transported to the hospital.

  • Determine the right course of action after evaluating the patient’s condition.

  • Provide medical aid such as AED, CPR, prevent spinal damage, ventilation, control severe bleeding, prevent shock, bandaging wounds, etc., to stabilize their condition.

  • Clean the equipments. Check and replace the used and damaged supplies.

  • Transfer patients to the emergency units of the hospital.

  • Administration of activated charcoal, oral glucose and oxygen.

  • Prepare a patient care report and take notes of the medical treatment given to them.

  • Sterilize the ambulance’s interior, if it is used to carry a patient suffering from infectious disease.

  • Restock all supplies in the ambulance and replace used blankets, linens and other supplies.

  • Calm down the victims’ family members.

  • Attend refresher training programs and continuing education as required by medical control, employers, certifying or licensing agencies.


In: http://www.topemttraining.com/emt-job-description-duties-and-responsibilities-of-an-emt/


Good luck in this fantastic career!!
Thank you comment icon Thank you for giving me your time for your answer to my question. I appreciate it Maurice
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Moshe’s Answer

The nature of your work can greatly differ based on your specific role within the field. A typical day commences with signing in at the base and inspecting an ambulance. There's usually a list of items that need to be present and not expired in the vehicle, such as essential bandages and medications. Following this, your duties can diverge depending on the system you're part of. Ambulances associated with 911 typically have a designated area where they wait for calls. Conversely, in a private ambulance company, you usually have more flexibility in choosing your waiting location. The types of calls received also vary significantly. When I was with a 911 unit, we received all kinds of calls from individuals from all walks of life. From drug overdoses to cardiac arrests, from treating a minor cut to immobilizing fractured bones, from administering life-saving drugs to calming down emotionally distressed individuals, you'll encounter every possible scenario, regardless of the individual's social status. Private transportation, on the other hand, is usually more relaxed. Most calls are from nursing homes or long-term care facilities, requiring patient transport to and from the hospital, dialysis center, or medical appointments. Different companies have different shift durations, but they typically range from 8 to 12 hours. After a demanding day, the dispatch center contacts you with the 10-2 code, signaling the end of your shift, and you can head home after a day or night of aiding people. Typically, you refuel the vehicle and replenish any used supplies before leaving.

Embarking on a career in medicine is challenging... It's a demanding field, and if you don't genuinely care for the people you're assisting, you'll quickly experience burnout... Becoming an EMT is an excellent initial step into the world of medicine and your lifelong learning journey. If there's one thing I've learned from my time in EMS, it's that there's always room for growth. Don't hesitate to ask a more experienced colleague or mentor, especially when you're new, for feedback or advice on how to improve. Questions like "How did I do?", "What can I do better next time?", "What's the most valuable lesson you've learned in this field?", or "What would you have done differently?" are all valid. Do this, study your protocols, and you'll eventually become the one that trainees look up to and seek advice from.

Ambulance - Also known as Rig/Bus
OD - Refers to overdose
Code - Refers to Cardiac Arrest
EDP - Stands for Emotionally Distressed People/Mental Illness
10-2 - A radio code that means back to base... generally signals that your shift is over
EMS - Stands for Emergency Medical Service
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Brittany’s Answer

Hi Daniela,
Around here, it's 85% "bullmalarky" calls and 15% "oh malarky" calls. Sometimes it's an inter-facility transfer, so just taking a pt from one hospital to another, or maybe it's a homeless person faking an injury so we'll take them to the hospital so they'll have a warm bed (those are the bullmalarky calls because you don't actually use any of your skills). As an EMT, you'll typically be working with a Paramedic who will assume command of the situation, so they'll direct you what to do if it's a serious call. Mostly, you'll be taking vitals, hooking them up to oxygen, bandaging, etc. But if it's a serious call(maybe cardiac arrest) they might direct you to start CPR while they grab whatever medicines they need for the pt.
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