why do we have paramedics?

Question

i have to do an assignment for college and i need the reasons for the roles resonsibilities and purpose of a paramedic

Answer 1

Here's a paramedic job description from an employer: http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw/cda/dept29240/files/53272.html
Here's a paramedic describing his job: http://www.jobprofiles.org/heaparamedic.htm
Here's an article on paramedics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramedic
History of EMS (emergency medical services):http://www.southalabama.edu/ems/ems/emshistory.htm


A paramedic's purpose is to save lives! We try to minimize the damage from medical and trauma emergencies by providing care at the scene and on the way to the hospital. We stabilize patients so they can be transported as safely as possible. We use cutting edge technology and we are allowed to perform some rather invasive procedures such as surgical airways and paralyzing a patient to put a breathing tube down his throat. We can administer up to 60 different medications (depending on the individual state's protocols).
Paramedics also help to prevent injuries, too. There are paramedics that teach CPR classes for the local community, and they can help with injury reduction campaigns, such as seat belt awareness, the importance of life jackets, and that sort of thing. They can give talks in schools about the importance of sober driving, seat belts, etc.
A paramedic's primary responsibility is to help people. I know that sounds corny, but I can't think of a better way to put it. Whether he or she is attempting to rescuscitate a victim of cardiac arrest, or calming down a scared child, the goal is to help others.
A paramedic needs to be physically fit, and emotionally and mentally stable. They need to have the motivation to keep up with the latest advances in patient care. They need to be OK with working long hours out in uncontrolled and possibly dangerous settings.
The reason for paramedics initially was to reduce the number of highway deaths. The DOT is in charge of setting the standards for paramedic training.
Before paramedics, there was only EMT-Basics, and they could not perform advanced or invasive life support. They couldn't administer drugs, shock people who's hearts had stopped, intubate, or perform a number of procedures that paramedics are allowed to do. A bunch of doctors got together and thought that more lives could be saved if they would train people to do a few procedures that used to be only performed by doctors in the hospital, and the EMT-P (or paramedic) was born!

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

You don't have to have to have paramedics. As long as you have someone in prehospital care who has the necessary education and experience in dealing with medical and trauma emergencies then it doesn't matter.
It is very much down to the system in the country in which you live to determine who will provide the service. If we just look at ambulances (not helicopter, motorbikes or response cars) the usual mix is for one person to lave a lover level of training (who normally drives as well as assists) and the other be advance life support trained.
The ALS provider may be a paramedic, nurse or doctor.

Answer 3

We have paramedics so that during a medical emergency people can recieve life saving emergency care before they reach the hospital. Every day paramedics save the lives of people who would normaly be dead by the time they got to a hospital. It takes an ambulance less than 10 minutes on average to arrive at the scene of a medical emergency, and life saving care can be started as soon as the ambulance arrives.

Answer 4

Paramedics are highly trained operatives that can deliver much more assistance at the location of the accident than the previouse service provided by the ambulance staff.

It can be important to administer something more than what used to be deemed as first aid to a patient involved in a serious accident, not only to save life but also to relieve pain and stop more serious problems developing such as loss of limbs or organ failure.

They can also assess the need to take the patient or victim to hospital if they can be treated and sent on their way at the incident location it saves clogging up the accident and emergency dept of the hospitals

Answer 5

ok if you dont know what paramedics do. then im sorry you shouldnt be in college. paramedics are the first line of defense (excluding fire and police) to save a person life in any kind of emegerency. they provide a wide array of ways to save lives including, training for wrecks to keep the person from breaking any other part of there body, they are trained in all first aid and many paramedics have more experience and training, they have to be certified and they have to know how to use a defibulator, how to put in needles and apply the right amount of any given fluid that is needed. not only that they must be able to assume the role of doctor until they are at the ER

Answer 6

They serve the same principle as combat medics in wartime. They are the "First Responders" in the area of medical care and can often provide sufficient assistance to keep the patient alive until they can reach a more stable area for advanced medical care.
Paramedics are trained to a level where they can actually administer pharmaceutical aid in the field. I know certain military medics are trained to a level where they can perform certain surgical procedures.
Trust me...you want paramedics out there ready to help if you ever find yourself in a bad accident, or the victim of a heart attack.

Answer 7

paramedics provide emergency room-level care in the field; recovery from many acute ailments depend upon prompt responses. A paramedic providing care 1/2 hour or more before regular arrival at an ER can provide not only a higher survival rate, but faster recovery times.

Answer 8

Well, the reasons are pretty obvious. They get called to people who are seriously ill or injured and need to get to hospital for medical treatment. Paramedics are trained to treat/stablise them during their journey to the hospital. They help SAVE LIVES!!!

Wherever you live, ring your local Ambulance NHS Trust and ask them for an all encompassing description. Or even better, ask if there is any chance of you spending a short amount of time with a local paramedic for a chat.

Answer 9

The Platinum Time (first 10 minutes) or latest in the Golden Hour (first one hour), which is considered the most crucial element in medical assistance.

Answer 10

To provide first Aid.

Principle of First aid is to Save Life.
To Provide reports to Doctors and medical staff with observations on the emergency patient