Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) play a crucial role in assessing and treating patients in many different types of emergencies. To perform well, EMTs must master essential skills. Here are some of the skills every EMT should focus on:
1. Patient Assessment
The care an EMT renders is based upon what they find in their Patient Assessment. I always tell my students “if your assessment sucks, your care will suck.” Running the assessment is how we find out what care the patient needs so performing a quick and accurate patient assessment is necessary to provide effective emergency care. When EMTs must “run their assessment,” they must look for and correct life-threatening conditions, evaluate signs and symptoms, vital signs, and then prioritize treatments correctly. Patient assessments are a skill that great EMTs never stop improving. The better the assessment, the better the care.
2. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
CPR is one of those skills that you don’t use every day. However, when an EMT discovers that a patient is in cardiac arrest they need to be able to act immediately and perform the skills correctly. While most of the patients EMTs encounter in cardiac arrest will be adults, you never know when you can encounter a pediatric patient in cardiac arrest. So mastering both adult and pediatric CPR is not optional, EMTs must be excellent in both.
3. Airway Management
There is an expression that “Airway is king!” That is because without proper airway management everything else we do is not going to be effective. Airway management ensures air can get into the patient’s lungs so EMTs must be skilled in techniques such as using bag-valve masks, suctioning, and airway adjuncts that help facilitate effective airway management.
4. Trauma Care
Responding to trauma cases like car accidents or falls requires proficiency in patient assessment, proper wound care, fracture stabilization, and managing severe bleeding using appropriate techniques.
5. Communication Skills
Clear communication is vital for gathering important information from patients and bystanders, collaborating with team members, relaying patient information to hospitals, and providing reassurance to patients and families during high-stress situations.
6. Knowledge of Medications
EMTs must have a solid understanding of their local protocols for all aspects of patient care including for the medications they may, at times, be allowed to administer. These can include epinephrine for allergic reactions or nitroglycerin for chest pain, ensuring correct dosages and monitoring side effects.
7. Lifting and Moving Patients
Proper techniques for lifting and moving patients are crucial to avoid injuries to both the EMT and the patient. Mastery of stretchers, backboards, and other transport equipment is essential.
8. Stress Management
For most EMTs the regular day to day calls become somewhat “routine.” This does not mean that they are not dealing with emergencies but rather, because of their experience they become proficient at dealing with these day-to-day calls. However, the unpredictable nature of emergencies can at times be emotionally and physically draining. EMTs need good coping mechanisms to manage stress, avoid burnout, and maintain peak performance.
9. Defibrillation and Cardiac Monitoring
Using automated external defibrillators (AEDs) is a critical skill for treating patients in cardiac arrest. EMTs need to be “experts” in delivering Basic Life Support for these patients.
To be an effective EMT, mastering these skills is essential. They not only ensure better patient outcomes but also enhance the EMT’s confidence and competence in high-pressure situations. Continuing education and training are key to staying updated in this demanding profession.
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