If you have ever thought of becoming a paramedic, then this article is for you!
What I love the most about being a paramedic is being able to help the people in need and to drive an emergency vehicle with the lights and siren. However, it can be very stressful because the calls are not always easy and you won't always be able to save their lives.
Paramedics are responsible for providing basic Pre-Hospital Emergency Care by assessing, stabilizing and transporting patients. As part of their interventions, they learn about the clinical condition of people and apply care protocols to prevent deterioration of their condition and transport them to the appropriate health facilities. Their role is essential since the quality of their clinical interventions is decisive in ensuring patient survival.
Paramedics are usually in an ambulance with a partner. They are strategically placed on standby to answer calls. However, everyday is a different patient with different health conditions. If paramedics are not answering to calls, they do inter-establishment transfers.
Paramedics work in a variety of places. They can work at the airport, in the city and or in the countryside.
To become a paramedic, you will need to obtain a diploma in Prehospital Emergency Care. It has a total duration of 3 years. It is a career program.
The salary of a paramedic can change from a province to another. A paramedic in the province of Quebec can make from $24 per hour to $35 per hour depending on the number of experience.
It is possible to follow a major at the University of Montreal in Advance Pre-Hospital Emergency Care. It is a 3-year program. It will allow the paramedic to acquire advanced knowledge on the various systems of the human body, on pathologies requiring urgent care as well as on advanced treatments to be administered in a prehospital setting.
Common risks encountered by paramedics are hazardous environments and extreme temperatures; motor vehicle accidents en route to or from a scene; contact with hazardous and infectious materials; assaults; lengthy and erratic work hours; and extreme physical and psychological stressors.
The chances are low. The work of a paramedic is quite complex and requires quick assessments and decisions taking. I believe robots won't be able to replace us because we have so many tasks to do in one call.
The average retirement age in 2018 is 62.0.
At this moment, I'm a student in my second year in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care at Ahuntsic College. I am planning to work in Montreal because I love the diversity of the city. In the future, I will want to become an advance paramedic. It is a field that is constantly evolving, so I won't be surprise that will have to change my way of intervening or manipulating new equipment.
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