A paramedic is a medically trained person who responds to emergency calls and provides medical treatment on the spot. He or she also provides transportation to a hospital or emergency medical facility when necessary, as well as administering medical treatment while on the way. A paramedic may work for a hospital, a private organization, or, in many cases, as part of a municipality’s fire department or emergency response team, depending on their location.
All emergency response personnel, including paramedics, must complete specialized training and certification before working in most locations. Depending on the country and jurisdiction, actual training and certification requirements may differ.
While a paramedic is a member of a group of medical first responders or emergency medical technicians (EMTs), he or she receives the highest level of training and is usually referred to by this specific title rather than as an EMT. A response group may consist of a diverse group of first responders with varying levels of training. A paramedic is usually part of the ambulatory response team, whereas EMTs may arrive with the fire department before the ambulance.
Basic life support, such as rescue breathing and CPR, trauma assessment, respiratory crisis intervention, and cardiac life support, such as defibrillation, are some of the specific roles a paramedic is trained to perform. In addition, paramedics provide intravenous fluids, oxygen, and medications that are required for stabilization. Their typical role is to provide life-saving emergency medical care only until the patient arrives at a medical hospital or other treatment facility, where a doctor will take over. The paramedic collects and records vital sign data and, depending on the type of emergency, administers treatment as needed. The information is passed on to the attending physician or emergency room personnel once the patient has been transported to the hospital, and the paramedic departs, returning to his or her base of operations to await the next emergency.