What is it like to work as a paramedic?!


Question: What is it like to work as a paramedic?
I am thinking of switching from radiography to paramedic because it is really difficult to get into the radiography program. I'm also a little more interested in paramedic, but it makes less money that x-ray tech. I was wondering what the job was actually like, if you can work in a hospital instead of an ambulance servise, and what the pay is like starting out. thanks for any information!

Answers:

The Radiology Technologist makes more money because there is much more education required than becoming a Paramedic. The Paramedic can be obtained in a few months at a votech whereas the RT will need at least 2 years (almost 3) with the prerequisites to get a basic certification and then more education and training to obtain specialty certifications for various technology such as CT Scan, MRI, IR and Radiation Therapy.

If you work in a hospital as a Paramedic, you will be an ER Tech. Paramedic is considered a prehospital credential in most states and is not recognized inside a facility. You would be under the supervision of an RN and be very limited to what you could do when it comes to invasive procedures and medication administration. The pay would also be just above the CNA or maybe equal to a PCT.
The CNA and a phlebotomy cert might also be required to work in an ED since the patient skills in the CNA are not covered in a Paramedic course. The Paramedic can start IVs but they are taught very little about all the proper handling and the many samples that can be drawn in the hospital. In EMS if they are allowed to draw blood from an IV start they just hand it over to someone else to take care of and often it is tossed as a bad sample.

If you get on with a fire department as a Paramedic, you will make great money and have excellent benefits. If you work for a private ambulance, your future will always be uncertain with mergers and takeovers by other ambulance companies and the FD.




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