Emergency medical technician

An emergency medical technician (EMT) is someone who works on an ambulance and takes care of sick and hurt people. EMTs used to be called "ambulance drivers," since much of their work is bringing people to an emergency room. Their other main duty is first aid including:
 Doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and give electric shocks to a person's chest if their heart is beating in a way that could kill them
 Giving oxygen (or force oxygen into a person's lungs) if they stop breathing or are not breathing well enough to survive
 Inserting an airway adjunct into a persons mouth in the case of unconsciousness
 Stopping hemorrhaging (bleeding so bad that it will kill a person if not stopped)
 Treating burns 
 Treat very bad physical trauma (injuries)
 Helping people who are pregnant give birth
 Treating broken bones, dislocated joints, sprains, and wounds

 In the United States 
In the United States, each state decides what their EMTs can do. EMTs in every state are allowed to perform first aid. Each state has different rules for exactly what their EMTs can do. These rules are called treatment protocols. For example:
 In Massachusetts, EMTs can give medicines to treat heart attacks, breathing emergencies (like asthma attacks), anaphylaxis, very low blood sugar, and overdoses on opiates like heroin and oxycodone.
 In New Hampshire, EMTs are allowed to place a rescue airway in a patient who cannot breathe.  This means they will place a tube down the patient's throat, then force oxygen into the lungs through the tube.

 Related pages 
 Emergency medical services in the United Kingdom
 Combat medic
 List of EMS provider credentials

References

 Other websites 
National EMS Memorial Service  
 National Highway Traffic Safety Agency, Office of Emergency Medical Services
 United States National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians


Category:Technicians
Category:Healthcare occupations