3 Signs You Were Meant to be an EMT
A career as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) might not be for everyone. It involves long days with little to no sleep, adrenaline rushes during emergencies and a commitment to helping people in life-threatening situations.
Thinking about becoming an EMT? These three signs might indicate that the life of an EMT is meant for you:
You can thrive on a crazy sleep schedule.
EMTs do not get a lot of sleep when they’re on duty. Between cleaning, maintaining and stocking the ambulance, and rushing to 9-1-1 calls, EMTs just don’t have enough time for shut-eye. EMTs also need to be able to wake up at a moment’s notice because a quiet night could quickly become busy with emergency calls. Shifts can range from 8 hours to 24 hours depending on where you work, so being able to function well on little to no sleep is vital for an EMT.
Nothing makes you squeamish.
EMTs handle a lot of different types of health emergencies. Many of them are not something that most people would want to see on a daily basis. Some of these emergencies might even be very messy and unpredictable. An iron stomach and a lack of squeamishness around bodily fluids and injuries might mean that you are well-equipped to handle the daily responsibilities of being an EMT. You can do your job to save people’s lives and think quickly on your feet.
You want to help people.
EMTs know how to ask patients questions. An EMT also knows how to provide that caring manner emergency patients may need on the way to the hospital. Life-threatening emergencies can be scary for both patients and their families. Being able to navigate the social aspect of being an EMT is an important skill, just as important as the medical knowledge EMTs receive in their training. Keeping a clear head in an emergency situation also includes knowing how to alleviate fears while being upfront with patients about their condition.
Emergency Medical Technicians are an important role in emergency medical services. EMTs work alongside Paramedics and doctors to achieve the level of care that their patients need on the way to the emergency room. What an EMT does to support the life of patients greatly impacts the outcomes for medical treatment.
