Maggie Gnorski
8/30/17
ELA
Research Paper
Emergency Medical Services & Paramedics
There are many important jobs people can have in society today. One of the most important professions today are paramedics and those who work with the Emergency Medical Services. They put their lives on the line everyday to save other people. The system of EMS needs to be effective, and the medics need many skills to do their jobs. The various parts of this system all work together to help members of the community.
EMS is the system that supplies emergency care to others at their location. EMS stands for Emergency Medical Services. The definition of EMS is “a system of coordinated response and emergency medical care, involving multiple people and agencies.” (NHTSA’s Office of EMS, “What is EMS?”) The emergency care provided by them is related to medical emergencies. The EMS system falls into the combination of the fields of public health, health care, and public safety all at once because they are saving people in need of help where they need it. Paramedics, who are the first responders that work within the EMS industry, need to be ready for all different situations.
EMS Services can be centered in a fire department or a hospital. (NHTSA’s Office of EMS, “What is EMS?”) People also create their own groups of paramedic services, and those are based wherever the heads of that agency choose. (NHTSA’s Office of EMS, “What is EMS?”) Even though there are different kinds of EMS, such as government-run or voluntary services (“Department of Health: What is EMS?”), the main workings of the system stay the same. Groups of EMS services are run by different people, but the emergency medical services have always been working towards the same goal: to help save lives.
The history of EMS in America is the foundation of modern emergency medicine. In 1966, a report was delivered to President Lyndon B. Johnson that said that unintended injuries were “the leading cause of death in the first half of life's span.” (Edgerly, “Birth of EMS: The History of the Paramedic”) Subsequently, there was a report made that was called “The White Paper,” which said that first responders should be able to administer some basic lifesaving techniques. This led to a curriculum so people could learn how to be a paramedic, created in 1969, which many consider the creation of EMS in modern times. (Edgerly, “Birth of EMS: The History of the Paramedic”) The first official residency program for training paramedics was created in 1972. Attendance of these classes rose drastically due to the making of the show Emergency! in 1972. The show gave ordinary people the inside scoop of what it was like to be a paramedic. (Edgerly, “Birth of EMS: The History of the Paramedic”)
Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians (also known as EMTs) are medically trained first responders. They help transport others to hospitals. They’re also in charge of stabilizing patients in the field in order to get them to wherever the best care can be provided. Paramedics work with the police and fire departments because they respond to a lot of accidents. (NHTSA’s Office of EMS, “What is EMS?”)
It is crucial for paramedics and EMTs to be good at their job, because patients’ lives are in their hands on a daily basis. Paramedics may be needed to set broken bones or administer pain relieving drugs such as morphine. CPR might have to be given, or an intubation kit might have to be used. (Intubation is the insertion of a tube into the trachea in order to open someone’s airway. (“Medical Definition of Intubation.”))
Once a paramedic stabilizes a critical patient, they drive him/her to the hospital. The medics rush in the patient on a gurney as soon as they pull up to the hospital. Then, the EMTs relay the patient’s condition to the ER doctor taking on the person. They also have to tell the doctor what treatment the patient was given in the field. (EMS1 Staff. “What Do Paramedics Do?”)
Paramedics respond to all people. They could get a call to a house where a two year old is choking, or the EMTs could arrive to an elderly man having a heart attack. Paramedics also respond to all different types of medical emergencies. It could be as small-scale as some chest pain that doesn’t evolve, or they could get called to a mass car pile-up on the highway. They need to be ready for any situation, because there is such a variety of people and places to which they could be sent.
Because there are so many different patients and situations an ambulance could roll up to, paramedics need to have many different skills. They need communication skills to be able to convey to others what they are doing, as well as physical strength to be able to carry people and equipment. Not all tools are accessible when going into a situation with limited supplies and time, so paramedics need problem solving skills as well. Paramedics need to be adept at listening as well because they have to analyze and understand what others mean. EMTs need compassion in order to sympathize with victims and their families, especially ones that have died. In addition, they interact with many different personalities on the job, so they should have the ability to interact with others. (“EMT Job Description – Duties and Responsibilities of an EMT.”)
EMTs respond whenever they are needed. Because their calls are unscheduled, their abilities in the medical field aren't always being used. Because of this, the paramedics have other duties they need to attend to. They can restock the ambulance after calls where they used materials. Medics also have to fill out patient forms after they deliver people to the hospital about what happened during the call. Cleaning and restocking the ambulance are also common jobs to do wherever EMTs are stationed. (EMS1 Staff. “What Do Paramedics Do?”)
There are different “levels” of EMTs. An EMT-Basic is authorized to perform basic procedures related to the lungs and heart, as well as trauma injuries. They can also do a fundamental assessment of patients and bring them to the hospital. An Advanced EMT can do all of the basic EMT procedures, but they can also give medication and put in IVs. Paramedics are the most advanced group of emergency medical technicians. They can do everything any other EMT can do, on top of using more equipment like electrocardiographs. (Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Outlook Handbook.”)
Currently, an EMT course is normally a three/four month course. It can be taken at most community colleges (and some state) as well as some hospitals. After the course, a test (National Registry Exam) is taken in order to be nationally registered as a paramedic or an EMT. Anyone looking to register must file an application with local EMS workers to get certification in the area they live. They also have to file a course completion certificate and national registry card (valid for 2 years). Applicants must be 18 years or older and agree to have a background check.
One of the first curriculums for EMS was established in the 1970s. Helping to establish it was a group in Pittsburgh, along with Walt Stoy (P.h.D.) and Nancy Caroline (M.D.). The curriculum was called the EMT-P curriculum, which stands for Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic curriculum. It included a 400 hour lab/clinical/class course in the hospital, followed by 100 hours of fieldwork as an intern. More of these programs started to pop up across the country after prehospital advanced life support began to get popular.
Paramedics drive ambulances to wherever they are called. They have lights and sirens attached, because they are responding to emergencies, and are needed immediately. Ambulances can come in truck/van form, but there are also medical helicopters, buses, and boats.
Ambulances need to carry a lot of different tools, as EMTs respond to all situations. An ambulance would carry a heart monitor, which monitors a patient’s heartbeat and checks for abnormal beating patterns. A defibrillator shocks someone’s heart back into rhythm. Basic supplies used for treating patients can be found in an EMT’s medical kit. Paramedics use a stretcher/board to move a patient into an ambulance and then into the ER. A spinal collar is used to hold the neck and head still. (Spilsbury, 12)
The star of life can be found on Ambulances and paramedic gear. It is a blue, 6 barred insignia with a staff in the center. It was created in 1973. Before 1973, ambulances had a red cross on them. The American Red Cross was annoyed because it looked like they were the ones approving of all of the ambulances. The red cross is still on some hospital tents/buildings and military vehicles in war zones, but they have mostly switched over to using the star of life. the designer of star of life was Leo Schwartz. The reason Schwartz created the star of life with six blue bars was because the EMS has 6 functions. These six functions are “detection, reporting, response, on scene care, care in transit, and transfer to definitive care.” (“Ambulance Types. What is a Ambulance?”) The staff in the center of the star of life is wrapped up by a snake. The staff is better known as the Rod of Asclepius, son of Apollo and Greek god of healing and medicine. (“Ambulance Types: What is an Ambulance?”)
Knowing when to call an ambulance is something that all people should know. If moving an injured person is not possible, like if one of his/her limbs is stuck in a piece of machinery, 911 should be dialed immediately. Someone should also call an ambulance if a person is shot or stabbed, or if an individual’s condition is worsening or could worsen quickly. (“When to Call 911”)
First responders are so important to every community. Paramedics in particular put their lives on the line to save others. It is essential for medics to be on top of their game every day in order to provide adequate service to those in a crisis. The complicated EMS system currently works in harmony with its first responders. If the emergency medical services were never integrated into today’s society, life would be a lot different, and monumentally more dangerous.