| A career as an emergency medical technician can be | | | | emergency medical services, and hands on learning |
| both exciting and rewarding. No other field allows you | | | | element. |
| to be right there in the action all of the time, and helping | | | | 3. Hands-On Learning: Your EMT training will likely |
| others at the same time. If this is your chosen career | | | | include some classroom time, but it should also include |
| path you likely won’t be disappointed. | | | | hands-on training. This element of your learning |
| When selecting a course to train to become an EMT | | | | program will prepare you for situations that you will |
| there are a few things that need to be considered. | | | | have to deal with everyday. Learning the theory behind |
| Simply choosing the cheapest course, or the one that | | | | emergency services is important, but without learning |
| is closest to home, isn’t always the best idea. You | | | | how to perform them as well, you may be lost when |
| may find that you have wasted your money; when | | | | you do begin your career. |
| you discover that the training didn’t prepare you for | | | | 4. Certifications: When you go to take your NREMT |
| NREMT exams. | | | | test, at the very least you will need CPR certification. |
| Luckily choosing the right basic EMT training course | | | | A good EMT training course will include advance CPR |
| needn’t be difficult. If you know what you should be | | | | training, and should include other certifications as well. |
| learning choosing the right program is actually quite | | | | Glucometer, advanced airway, and I.V. maintenance |
| simple. | | | | are some of the other topics that should be covered in |
| Characteristics of an EMT Course | | | | your training. |
| 1. Length: When you begin looking at training options, | | | | 5. NREMT Certificate: When you are finished with your |
| you will find a wide variety of course lengths for | | | | emergency medical technician training, the course |
| emergency medical technician training. Your course | | | | provider should supply you with a certificate. This |
| may be completed in as little as 2 weeks, or as long | | | | document is required to take the NREMT’s EMT |
| as 6 months. Most programs provide about 120-140 | | | | – Basic exam. If your training does not provide this, |
| hours of instruction time. With the actual class time | | | | then the provider likely isn’t a state-approved |
| being the same, if you can manage an accelerated 2 | | | | training facility, and their course should be avoided. |
| or 3 week course, then you enable yourself to get into | | | | In your new career as an emergency medical |
| the workforce faster. | | | | technician, you will be required to provide emergency |
| 2. Course Content: A good EMT program will teach | | | | medical services on a daily basis. Getting the right start, |
| you to assess, stabilize, treat, and transport patients. | | | | by choosing a course that fits, is the key to learning to |
| Basically you will be learning how to responds to | | | | provide the best patient care. When it’s time for |
| emergency situations, and deal with them quickly to | | | | you to begin your training, use this guide to ensure that |
| get the patient the care they need. The EMT training | | | | you find a school that will prepare you for your new |
| should include certifications in various areas of | | | | career. |