Paramedics

What the job really is

Administer basic or advanced emergency medical care and assess injuries and illnesses. May administer medication intravenously, use equipment such as EKGs, or administer advanced life support to sick or injured individuals.

At a glance

• Sector: Healthcare Practitioners
• O*NET-SOC code: 29-2043
• O*NET job zone: 3 — medium preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Administer drugs, orally or by injection, or perform intravenous procedures.
• Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings.
• Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.
• Attend training classes to maintain certification licensure, keep abreast of new developments in the field, or maintain existing knowledge.
• Comfort and reassure patients.
• Coordinate with treatment center personnel to obtain patients' vital statistics and medical history, to determine the circumstances of the emergency, and to administer emergency treatment.
• Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel.
• Instruct emergency medical response team about emergency interventions to ensure correct application of procedures.
• Observe, record, and report to physician the patient's condition or injury, the treatment provided, and reactions to drugs or treatment.
• Operate equipment, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), external defibrillators, or bag valve mask resuscitators, in advanced life support environments.
• Perform emergency cardiac care, such as cardioversion and manual defibrillation.
• Perform emergency invasive intervention before delivering patient to an acute care facility.

Tools and technology

Apple iOS, MEDITECH software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, R, eClinicalWorks EHR software, Adult Magill forceps, Adult non-rebreather oxygen masks, Adult stylets

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Emergency Medical Technicians
• Registered Nurses
• Acute Care Nurses
• Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
• Critical Care Nurses
• Surgical Assistants
• Respiratory Therapists
• Nursing Assistants

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 3 (medium preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Paramedics — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.