Advanced Care. Advanced Caring.

posted 07/11/2008
In the last article, we explored what our volunteer EMTs can do for our community in an emergency. Let's take a look at what our paramedics are capable of doing and how they will serve you in an emergency.

Paramedics are advanced life support emergency professionals. They must already be certified as EMTs and possess all of the skills of an EMT to advance into paramedic school. They must have significant experience as an EMT before entrance. Paramedic education is generally a one to two year process and would be considered a bachelor degree level equivalent if taken in a university setting.

A paramedic or (EMT-P) can provide a host of additional advanced pharmacological and surgical emergency procedures and interventions. Most of our paramedics, in addition to being registered in the State of Washington are also Nationally Registered Paramedics and Wilderness EMTs. All are Marine Rescue Technicians and certified in Pediatric and Cardiac Advanced Life Support. Over the next two years, all paramedics will also be required to complete Critical Care Paramedic certification which is the highest available training capability for paramedics in the country.

In addition to all EMT skills, some of the advanced skills that paramedics can perform include:

Intubation (insertion of a breathing tube into the lungs)
Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI) assists in intubation
Cardio version and pacing (electrically stimulating the heart, specific to the need of the individual emergency)
Drug administration (over 40 different emergency medications to stabilize heart rhythms, treat hypertension and other medical emergencies)
Surgical procedures such as tracheotomies, chest tubes, IV lines into bones (intraosseous), subclavian lines, and tubes to drain various fluids from the body.
Advanced EKG interpretation and treatment modalities
Advanced pediatric and obstetrical training
Draw blood, analyze blood and give intravenous fluids and medications
Ventilator and CPAP airway management (Advanced machinery helping people with breathing difficulty)

So next time you have one of our paramedics respond to your emergency, know that you are getting one of the best trained and equipped paramedics in the country to render assistance.

In an emergency, time is of the essence, so call 9-1-1 quickly. Help is on the way.

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Chief Jim Cole from San Juan Island EMS has been a Nationally Registered Paramedic for more than 20 years and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Community Health and a Master of Art Degree in Higher Education. He is designated as a Chief Medical Officer by the Center for Public Safety Excellence and is a Senior Wilderness Medicine Instructor with the SOLO School of Wilderness and Emergency Medicine. Suggestions for future topics can be sent to chief@sanjuanems.org.