3 Differences Between An EMT and Paramedic

Do you know the difference between an emergency medical technician and a paramedic? If you’re thinking about becoming one of these kinds of first responders, it’s important to know the difference and what it takes. While both EMTs and paramedics are dispatched to an emergency situation, such as a 911 call, there are a few important differences between them. What are they? Before you consider your options, take a quick look at these three important differences to make your decision.

Required Training

EMT stands for emergency medical technician and they are the most common emergency medical service providers. EMT is considered the basic training for EMS, but it isn’t basic at all as EMTs learn life-saving skills essential for first responders. The basic EMT training is generally about 120 to 150 hours of coursework.

However, to become a paramedic, you need to complete EMT training and then progress to the paramedic training which can be much more extensive including several months and is often part of an associate’s degree. Both EMTs and paramedics will need to take a test and become certified in the state of Texas.

Scope of Practice

With very few exceptions, the primary restriction for EMTs is they can’t perform anything that breaks the skin, including injections or IVs. But they are able to give patients oxygen, treat an asthma or allergy attack, or perform CPR.

A paramedic has a much broader scope in what they can do in the field. They can resuscitate patients who have had heart attacks or other trauma, they can administer medications and start IVs, and can provide airway management.

Responding to Emergencies

Both EMTs and paramedics can be dispatched to respond to an emergency in an ambulance. In many cases, ambulances will have teams of both in order to provide a full range of care when responding to a 911 call.

Both are also used in instances of transport, such as when a patient will need to be taken from one facility to another.

Work With a Top Healthcare Recruiter in Dallas TX

Are you thinking about a career in emergency medical services and trying to decide between EMT and paramedic? Contact the team at CornerStone Medical Staffing, now hiring for healthcare jobs in Dallas TX.

|

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *