If you have ever thought about becoming paramedic, then this article is for you. You'll learn everything you ever wanted to know about becoming a paramedic, where paramedics work, how much they get paid, what kind of additional in-service training they need, how you can become a paramedic, some of the dangers involved in the job, when you can expect to retire and how you can make a difference in the lives of people you help.
It is very challenging and physically demanding.
Paramedics are often the first medical people at the scene of an accident or sudden illness; they give immediate care to anyone who needs it like heart attack victims, car crash victims, gunshot victims, and poisoning victims. They even assist in childbirth. Then, paramedics transport their patient to healthcare facilities in specially equipped emergency vehicles. On arrival at a medical center, they transfer the patient to nursing personnel and report their observations and treatment procedure to the attending physician.
Paramedics wait in their ambulance for a call assigning them to a scene of accident. When they get one, they drive there and give medical assistance to the victim. They transport them to the hospital and write a prehospital intervention report about the medical care they gave. After that, they clean up their ambulance and wait for the next call.
Paramedics work most of the time in ambulances driving in the city. Some paramedics work in air ambulances, on bicycles, on motorcycles, on horses, etc.
You can apply to the Prehospital Emergency Care Program at Ahuntsic College or John Abbott College. These colleges on the island of Montreal offer a 3-year training program in French and English, respectively.
The hourly wages for paramedics vary between $20.32 and $32.75.
Paramedics need additional training courses throughout their career to stay up-to-date when modifications are made in their protocols or when a new medical care is added to their field of practice.
Being a paramedic is a dangerous job. The aggressor of a victim could still be there when the paramedics arrive on the scene of the accident and the aggressor could try to attack them. Also, the victim could be aggressive and violent towards the paramedics.
It is unlikely that paramedics will be completely replaced by robots. The medical cares that the victims need are different one from another and it would be too complex to program a robot to do it.
The average retirement age in 2018 for paramedics was 62 years old.
As you can see, being a paramedic requires a college degree, on the job training, empathy and a lot of nerves.
Rationale: to inform or educate
Authority: research journal
Date: recently published
Accuracy: probably true
Relevance: relevant for this document
Sources: no sources cited
Rationale: to inform or educate
Authority: government
Date: recently published
Accuracy: probably true
Relevance: relevant for this document
Sources: no sources cited