EMT training?

Question

what is emt training like?

Answer 1

So you want to be an EMT...LOL

Each EMT class differs depending on the State it is being taught in, and the Instructors teaching it. There are actually 3 levels of EMT training, not including First Responder, that is given by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. The first being what most people call an EMT, and that is the EMT - Basic. This is the beginning level and in most states the required hours of training is 120. Some states make this as a college course and it takes a whole college semester, some private EMS Agencies actually teach this in as little as 3 weeks. Next is the EMT - Intermediate which not all states reconized for state licensure. These EMT's are actually considered ALS providers, and can do a lot of Advanced treatment, but only under Doctors specific orders. Finally, there is what most EMS providers call the ParaGods..LOL and that is the EMT - Paramedic, these being usually the most advanced medical provider in the field (not counting what some states consider Critical Care Paramedics), and this training can range from anywhere from a year to two and a half years. Most of the time you have to already be a EMT - Basic before you can advance to the others. As for EMT - Basic training, the only things you need to know is your ABC's (airway, breathing, and circulation), Spinal Immobilization, Control Bleeding, high flow oxygen (10-15 Lpm non-rebreather, unless they cannot tolerate the mask, then 6 Lpm via Nasal Cannula), and consider ALS back-up. For further information check out www.nremt.org and check with your local state office of EMS.

Good Luck

Answer 2

I took EMT training 2 years ago when I was 18, and I just finished Paramedic school. EMT, for me, was incredibly easy. Paramedic school, on the other hand, was very hard.

My EMT class was 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Most of what you learn in EMT class, about 95% is all common sense. There is anatomy, which you have to learn, and you also need to learn about a few medical conditions, but even that is mostly common sense.

The hardest part of EMT training is the NREMT tests. There is a written test (150 questions, I think) and a pratical test with 5 or 6 stations. You need to remember to do things the "textbook way" and not the "street way."

EMT class is an easy way to get into a difficult career. Good luck, and have fun. You had better be a little crazy if you are going into EMS

Answer 3

The EMT-B program I went through was about 12 weeks 3 days a week. Honestly the EMT program is not that difficult. If you commit yourself to a modest amount of study time daily, you'll do fine. The most difficult part of becoming an EMT is the national registry exam. The test is poorly written, and it does not always align well with what you learned in school. As an EMT you'll study basic first aid. Dressing different types of wounds, splinting, CPR, basic airway management, etc. You'll also learn some techniques to assist paramedics. You'll learn some basic anatomy. In the field, an EMT does little more than assist paramedics and learn. Be prepared though, if you plan to persue a career in emergency medicine, you'll have to go to paramedic school. That school can last anywhere from 12 to 18 months. It's a whole different story. You'll study 4 to 6 hours a day minimum, and it is extremely difficult. The worst is after 12 months or more of paramedic school, you get out into the field and realize you've really learned nothing and your education has just begun. It takes a lot of determination and comitment to follow this path, but if it is for you, it is an incredibly rewarding career. Give it some thought, lights & sirens are a lot of fun for the first few days. After that, they're just nosiy. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Imagine it to be similar indifficulty and study to a 101 Biology class with a hands-on labs. Most colleges offer a semester long EMT course with about 8-10 hours of class a week (all EMT-B classes have to be at least 125 hours long).

You’ll learn a lot about physiology and anatomy at first, and then the rest of the class builds on that knowledge as you learn the why’s and what’s of treating different injuries and illnesses.

It doesn’t tie all together at first, but eventually, you’ll do a lot of “I get it” and thinking rationally about why a body reacts a certain way rather than memorizing a list of signs and symptoms.

The other aspect of what EMT training is like is the hands-on skills training. If you are squeamish or shy about touching other people, you’ll have to get over it quickly. A head-to-toe medical/trauma survey (i.e. physical exam) means you have to get a lot more intimate with someone than even a standard full body pat down search!

I encourage all the people I meet that are interested to take the course. It’s a pre-requisite for Paramedic training if you want to take it to the next level. It’s great knowledge to have even if you never do.

Good luck. Hope you found this helpful.

Answer 5

EMT training is awesome! There are generally three levels of EMT's. I don't know which one you are interested in, so I will explain them all.

The first one is EMT-Basic. It's called by a different name in some states. In Alaska, it was called EMT-1. The course usually lasts about 2-3 months, and at the end, you will have to take a written and practical test. You will learn basic anatomy and physiology, the function of the EMT, how to assess a patient, how to interview a patient, how to safely transport a patient so as to not exacerbate any spinal injuries, how to manage the patient's airway and breathing, how to stop bleeding, how to splint possible fractures, how to deal with medical emergencies such as possible heart attacks, strokes, asthma attacks, diabetic emergencies, allergic reactions, and that sort of thing, how to help a patient use his own inhaler, epi-pen, or nitro tablets, how to administer oxygen, activated charcoal, and oral glucose, and many other things that I can't rememer right now.

An EMT-Intermediate (called an EMT-2 in Alaska) is another class designed to build upon the skills already learned in the EMT-Basic class. Usually, you need six months of experience before you can enroll in an intermediate class. In this class, you will learn how to start IVs, how to intubate (putting a tube down someone's throat to help them breathe), and will be allowed to give certain IV medications, such as epinephrine (used in cardiac arrest and allergic reactions), and D50 (used for diabetic emergencies). The medications that you are allowed to give will vary from state to state. Some states will allow you to do more, others will only let you perform certain skills.

The final certification is EMT-Paramedic. This class usually lasts a year or so, and you have to do a 500 hour internship on an ambulance after you complete the class. At the end of the class is a written, practical, and oral test. This class builds upon the EMT-Basic course (you don't have to be an intermediate to take the class, but it does help). You will learn advanced anatomy and physiology, advanced patient assessment, how to start IVs, how to intubate, and how to give IV medications. You will be allowed to give between 20 and 60 different IV medications, depending on which state you work for. You also will be trained to perform needle chest decompression (inserting a needle in the chest wall to reinflate a lung), surgical airways (cutting a hole in the patients throat to help them breathe) and RSI (rapid sequence intubation - paralyzing a person and then intubating them. You will be trained to interpret cardiac monitors, and trained in defibrillation. Every state decides what procedures they will allow paramedics to perform. In the state I live in, we can't perform RSI or surgical airways, and we can only give about 20 different drugs.

Hope this helps!

Answer 6

Don't miss any classes,pay attention to insturctors,ask questions you don't understand. You can figure 3hr home study for every 1 hr class . It may sound like a lot but it isn't. Remember this....you may be called to save a life.
I once told a buddy of mine who is a mechanic,If he makes a mistake he can correct it. If I make a mistake someone may die.
So if your going to be in EMS do it right. Become the best you can

Answer 7

Just finished the coures in August it was 6 weeks, three days a week. I feel great because I am 16, work in a rescue squad and see unbelievable things.

Answer 8

Its hard, but it can be alot of fun. There is alot to study. The best thing is you will meet craziest people. And i dont mean the patiants. just relax and enjoy it.

And its not as bad as people say it is.

Answer 9

Have to take the Paramedic class! It is fairly long, but have confidence and you can do it! Good luck.

Answer 10

Lots of fun!