Paramedic

Paramedics work in rapid response ambulance units to deal with medical emergencies. Such emergencies may include minor injuries, sudden illness, and casualties arising from road and rail accidents, criminal violence, fires and other incidents. Paramedics are usually the first senior healthcare professionals on the scene and they assess the patient’s condition and initiate specialist medical treatment and care before admission to hospital. The primary goal of paramedics is to meet people’s immediate treatment needs. They resuscitate and stabilize patients by using advanced life support techniques, administer drips, drugs and oxygen, and apply splints, and also assist with complex hospital transfers.
 * Paramedics **

Paramedics deal with a wide range of patients who may be suffering from a variety of complaints. The response of a paramedic may vary but typical: work activities include Writing up case notes and reporting the patient's history, condition and treatment to relevant hospital staff. The emergency ambulance service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Paramedics typically work 37.5 hours per week, usually including night and weekend shifts and cover for public holidays. There is usually an annual leave entitlement of 27 days, plus public holidays.
 * Responding to 911 calls for medical assistance at accidents, emergencies and other related incidents, usually in an ambulance with an ambulance technician to assist;
 * Assessing the condition of patients who are injured or taken ill suddenly;
 * Deciding what action is needed and initiating treatment;
 * Applying splints to limbs, dressing wounds, administering pain relief, oxygen, drips and fluids;
 * Using various kinds of equipment, including ventilators to assist breathing and defibrillators to treat heart failure, in order to resuscitate and stabilize patients;
 * Carrying out certain surgical procedures when necessary, such as intubation (insertion of a breathing tube);
 * Monitoring the patient's condition using high-tech equipment;
 * Assessing whether and how to move patients;
 * Liaising with members of other emergency services, such as the police or fire brigade;
 * Dealing with members of the public and family members present at the scene;
 * Treating patients in the ambulance while they are being transferred to hospital from the scene, or between hospitals in the case of patients being moved to receive specialist care;
 * Driving and crewing an ambulance or other rapid response vehicle;
 * Cleaning, decontaminating and checking vehicles and equipment to maintain a state of operational readiness;
 * Assisting with patient care in hospitals or health care centers;

** Paramedic ** ** Training ** In order to practice, paramedics must be registered with the [|Health Professions Council (HPC)]. Paramedics must comply with HPC regulations in order to remain on the register. Many ambulance trusts will train new recruits in emergency driving, which usually consists of a three to four week course.

** Paramedic ** ** Salary and conditions ** Paramedic salaries are in ranges from 21,176 - 27,534. ** Paramedic College time ** Paramedic certification doesn't require college at all. It requires specific training.

Some people do get their training at the community college degree level and that includes training in additional areas as well as the certification course.

Paramedic training programs that are full-time study are typically 2 years long. Part time programs progress from EMT-B to EMT-I or EMT-D and then to EMT-P

A 4-6 year program for paramedics would be a bachelor's or master's degree in Emergency or EMS Management - far higher qualification than a field paramedic would normally hold.