Los Angeles has the country’s largest population of homeless people, drug addicts, and street gangs. To be a paramedic in this demanding environment means enduring a huge amount of psychological stress, as well as physical danger from unstable patients.
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What are the requirements to be a paramedic?
from www.ems1.com
Paramedic training is intense and rigorous, but the rewards of serving others can be tremendous
The requirements to be a paramedic are extremely rigorous, so it’s not an undertaking or a career choice to be taken lightly. A paramedic is the highest level of EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) certification. A paramedic is trained and certified to perform advanced life support (ALS), which includes administering IV fluids, injections, medications and performing advanced respiratory procedures. A paramedic also performs many of the same functions as a basic EMT, such as treating wounds, performing CPR, delivering babies, and performing patient assessments.
Paramedics are often the lead member of a rescue team, with the most training and the most decision making power. This means that the requirements to be a paramedic include strong leadership skills and the ability to perform complex life-saving functions in extremely stressful crisis situations. A paramedic must keep a cool head and maintain authority amongst his or her team members in situations where a mistake can mean the difference between life and death.
Become an EMT
The first of the training requirements to be a paramedic is to get certified as an EMT-B, which is the first and most basic level of EMT training. The EMT-B training is available through many community colleges and other institutions. It usually takes about six months to complete the 120 to 150 hours of training. After that, you take a state certification test.
As an EMT, you can be employed providing emergency treatment in ambulances and many other venues. Most people work as EMTs for a couple of years to get some experience before undergoing the additional 1,200 to 1,800 hours of training to become paramedic. Some paramedic programs require you to have worked as an EMT for six months or so before gaining entrance.