Medical emergencies

The history of emergency medical services (EMS) dates to the Civil War era. At which time, all military personnel had to be examined by medical officers to qualify for duty and ambulances with trained attendance were assigned to a regiment based on its size (History of EMS, n.d., p. 1). Following the Civil War, the Anglo-American model of care began to evolve in Cincinnati with its first civilian ambulance in 1865 followed by New York City in 1869, it was during this time and ambulance surgeons made their debut (Tintinalli, Cameron, & Holliman, 2010, p. 24). It wasn’t until 1973 when the Department of Transportation adapted training curricula for what is now known as the EMT, the EMTP and the first responder (History of EMS, n.d., p. 1).…

Introduction Our mission is to support and advance the emergency medical dispatch professional ensuring that the public’s need of health related emergencies are coordinated rapidly and safely with the most appropriate effective medical response. The communication industry is changing more rapidly than most agencies can keep up with, and Emergency Medical Dispatch is the most effective and economically feasible advancement for the services response. Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) is a…

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and ambulance technician are terms used in some countries to denote a health care provider of emergency medical services.[1] EMTs are clinicians, trained to respond quickly to emergency situations regarding medical issues, traumatic injuries and accident scenes. Under the British system and those that are influenced by it, they are referred to as ambulance technicians (often shortened to techs), while in the American system and its influenced countries, they…

There is a certain level of ambiguity that comes with working for a 911 emergency medical service. For as well as I know my protocols, my partner and my equipment, EMS is based on uncertainty. Uncertainty, not just for the individual requesting assistance, but for the crew as well. You see, for every dispatch I receive, I can be sure of only two things: I am going to a location, and there may or may not be a patient there. Her dispatch came in not half-way through my first cup of coffee. “72…

How to Become a Paramedic in BC Paramedics in BC obtain their initial training by obtaining an Emergency Medical Responder License. In order to be licensed in the province, graduates with certificates from a recognized training agency must complete the appropriate licensing requirements, which include a practical evaluation and, where applicable, a written exam. Paramedics in BC – Levels of Emergency Medical Assistants Qualified paramedics in BC are broadly referred to as Emergency Medical…

Emergency Medical Technician Career Emergency Medical Technician, commonly referred to as EMTs, are responsible for treating and transporting people in emergency medical situations. EMT units work mainly out of Ambulances in places where emergency medical services are required or at a high risk. There are multiple levels of EMTs, The lowest being EMT-Basic, then EMT-Intermediate, and the highest EMT-Paramedic. EMT units can be privately operated, publicly operated, and at times volunteer…

“EMS en route to the scene,” responded Matt via his radio, as we wore our helmets, checked for gloves, and hopped on our bikes to an apartment off-campus Temple University. Matt was a Field Training Officer at Temple University Emergency Medical Services who had years of experience as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Yana, another EMT on shift had a few months of experience. However, it was my first call as an EMT preceptee. A student had tried to slit her wrists. “We can handle this,”…

After taking a survey online about what career is right for me, one that came up that interested me was the job of an emergency medical technician (EMT) or paramedic. Like every other job out there, there are many requirements and expectations of either an EMT or a paramedic. The difference between and EMT and a paramedic is the number of hours of training, knowledge of more medications, and advancement. This particular field does not require much education compared to a surgeon, but it does…

I learned very quickly that the emergency room is a fast and unforgiving place. From exposure to copious amounts of medical terminology, clinical decision-making techniques, and the variety of patient cases and symptoms; being a scribe has been one of the most influential aspects of my medical journey and it has truly solidified my desire to become a physician. The experiences I have gained on my journey to becoming a healthcare provider have all contributed to molding me into the individual…

An emergency medical technician (EMT) quickly wheels a patient into the emergency room. An emergency room surgeon responds immediately, rushing to his aid. The patient’s appendix has ruptured, requiring immediate surgery to prevent the spread of toxins in his body. In the operating room, the surgeon operates skillfully, methodically, and quickly to save the patient’s life. Surgeons literally have the power to save lives. A surgeon performs operations on people who have injuries or who have…