The distant wail of ambulance sirens is an unremarkable phenomenon in most big cities, but the assistance they provide is anything but routine. A critical medical situation can happen at any hour, and citizens rely on emergency medical technicians for on-site treatment and transport to a hospital. The trained workers who make this possible save multiple lives each year, and reflect a growing need for advanced practice paramedic services.
Not long ago there were few mobile teams available to deal with remote emergencies. As late as the 1960s, only a few states had even established written standards detailing this type of care, and before digital technology many ambulances did not even have mobile radio links. Personnel received standard Red Cross certification, but most had very little actual formal medical instruction.
That was an era when car wrecks killed more people than wars, making the need for expanding those services seem obvious. When funding began in the 1970s, it laid the groundwork for the current network response structure. At that time, the goal was formally stated as being a speedy response to a crisis, care as needed for those who are affected, and medical support while en route to a hospital emergency room.
Modern services usually include two categories of emergency workers. The most common are EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians), who perform all basic duties, but are considered entry level positions. Even so, their formal training is extensive and comprehensive, specifically designed for those first to arrive on scene. These technicians are allowed to treat patients for basic problems, but cannot administer shots.
An actual paramedic performs similar functions, but without as many restrictions. They are not considered doctors, but have been formally trained in anatomy, physiology, and cardiology, and are knowledgeable in the latest techniques for resuscitating and saving the lives of people having heart attacks. They routinely administer intravenous solutions, know how to clear air pathways, and can inject medications.
Many of them got their start as an EMT. While the current system is far ahead of the old in terms of capability, technology, and lives saved, the need for an additional level of expertise has been noted since the beginning. Many consider it to be the most logical next step. When additional instruction was first seriously proposed, however, it was shelved, largely due to bureaucratic and hierarchical concerns.
This additional level of training actually helps prevent emergencies. Besides performing standard crisis work, these paramedics are also able to more readily make home visits that involve patient education and monitoring, helping to control serious conditions that often lead to a crisis, such as asthma, diabetes, or heart failure. This not only helps prevent emergencies from developing, but also frees personnel to treat other life-threatening occurrences.
This next-level training provides a critical missing link in medical services, and it also creates a much-needed career path for paramedics. Many leave emergency services for non-field hospital work because there is no way progress further in that particular arena. Advanced training not only improves the state of current emergency field medicine, but it also helps to retain the best and brightest workers.
Not long ago there were few mobile teams available to deal with remote emergencies. As late as the 1960s, only a few states had even established written standards detailing this type of care, and before digital technology many ambulances did not even have mobile radio links. Personnel received standard Red Cross certification, but most had very little actual formal medical instruction.
That was an era when car wrecks killed more people than wars, making the need for expanding those services seem obvious. When funding began in the 1970s, it laid the groundwork for the current network response structure. At that time, the goal was formally stated as being a speedy response to a crisis, care as needed for those who are affected, and medical support while en route to a hospital emergency room.
Modern services usually include two categories of emergency workers. The most common are EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians), who perform all basic duties, but are considered entry level positions. Even so, their formal training is extensive and comprehensive, specifically designed for those first to arrive on scene. These technicians are allowed to treat patients for basic problems, but cannot administer shots.
An actual paramedic performs similar functions, but without as many restrictions. They are not considered doctors, but have been formally trained in anatomy, physiology, and cardiology, and are knowledgeable in the latest techniques for resuscitating and saving the lives of people having heart attacks. They routinely administer intravenous solutions, know how to clear air pathways, and can inject medications.
Many of them got their start as an EMT. While the current system is far ahead of the old in terms of capability, technology, and lives saved, the need for an additional level of expertise has been noted since the beginning. Many consider it to be the most logical next step. When additional instruction was first seriously proposed, however, it was shelved, largely due to bureaucratic and hierarchical concerns.
This additional level of training actually helps prevent emergencies. Besides performing standard crisis work, these paramedics are also able to more readily make home visits that involve patient education and monitoring, helping to control serious conditions that often lead to a crisis, such as asthma, diabetes, or heart failure. This not only helps prevent emergencies from developing, but also frees personnel to treat other life-threatening occurrences.
This next-level training provides a critical missing link in medical services, and it also creates a much-needed career path for paramedics. Many leave emergency services for non-field hospital work because there is no way progress further in that particular arena. Advanced training not only improves the state of current emergency field medicine, but it also helps to retain the best and brightest workers.
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