Essay Sample: The LIfe of a Paramedic

Emergency Medical Service is the profession I chose to write about for my research paper. I chose his career because of my passion and deep appreciation for the men and women who put their lives on the line in order to care for us. They endure very traumatizing situations and do it for the love of helping, rather than for the money. For as long as I can remember I’ve been obsessed with both criminal justice and medicine. Paramedics work very closely with police officers, firefighters, emergency room doctors, and nurses. The profession of a paramedic ties all of those aspects in perfectly. There is never a shortage of adrenaline. 

To become a paramedic, one must know beforehand if they can handle such a stressful career. Some key qualities to have are the ability to stay calm under pressure, being a good team player, being a good communicator, having a positive attitude, and having a true desire to help. A high school diploma, eighteen years of age or older, good vision, accurate color vision, physical strength, and emotional stability are absolutely necessary. 

Paramedics are exposed to horrible situations day after day. One crucial step of their training is getting them ready to face death. Attending an incident involving the death of a patient in a prehospital setting could affect a paramedicś mental health. Research has shown that paramedic students haven’t always received adequate preparation for such ordeals.  Steve Whitehead, an experienced paramedic, said,"…Our internal sense of urgency tells us that we should be speeding up. It is not a natural response to slow down just when the chaos and complexity of the scene start ramping up, but that's exactly what you want to train yourself to do. When the stakes are high, you need to allow yourself to slow down just enough to make good decisions. A few extra seconds are rarely valuable to the patient, but every good decision that you make is priceless."

Paramedics are emergency medical responders. They are usually the first on a scene along with EMTs. Many times people do not know the difference between EMTs and paramedics. EMTs or emergency medical technicians, complete a one hundred and seventy-hour course. They are educated in assessing a patient, while paramedics complete one thousand two hundred to one thousand eight hundred-hour programs. Paramedics handle more advanced life support and are at the top level of training. Those who become paramedics do so for the love of the job rather than for good financial income. They average thirty-one thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars annually as they are not paid well. The benefits of this career include the fact that it’s a very stable job environment. The demand for paramedics is only increasing. It’s always a comforting thought, to know that if things were to go awry emergency medical services are available. 

The required education for an aspiring paramedic differentiates in location. To begin, a high school diploma should be obtained, along with being cardiopulmonary resuscitation accredited(CPR), enrolling in a program, and finally becoming licensed. Volunteer work is an amazing prep for this. Notably, the University of Washington has been offering an awesome paramedic program. It is free, with a one hundred percent NREMT pass rate, and one hundred percent job placement. To further prove its effectiveness and reputation it is known as the best place in the world to have a heart attack. 

How long can a person last in a career like this? Paramedics have a very demanding job, as was already mentioned. They often suffer burnout after about five years. Paramedics rate their career happiness as a three-point three out of five stars. Consequently, they are in the top forty-five percent of all careers. On the other hand, it is also an incredibly fulfilling profession. There is nothing quite like the satisfaction of knowing a human life was saved. I have the opportunity of knowing some of these incredible people and was able to glean valuable information through my interview. The interviewee said the underlying drive that pulls her from her bed in the morning to her dropping back in it exhausted at night was the ability to help others. She, Kayla McClain, decided to get her training as an EMT because she wanted to know how to help in the event of a medical emergency. Some of the most important skills, according to her, are courage, humility, and team spirit. Kayla mentioned several times that she would not be able to keep calm and perform under stress without God´s help. 

There are over one hundred seventy-three thousand and nine hundred and nine paramedics employed in the United States of America. The average age of a paramedic is thirty-four years. Men make up roughly seventy percent of this occupation. The ratio of men to women is sixty-five to thirty-five. A few interesting facts about paramedics are: They notice how IV friendly your veins are even if you are not a patient, they can eat a five-course meal in two minutes, and they take great offense when the less educated call paramedics ambulance drivers.

In conclusion, I have learned a lot about these heroes who provide critical care for some of the most horrible moments of people’s lives. After researching this subject matter to a greater extent, I have developed even more appreciation for emergency medical service. The selflessness of the paramedics and EMTs motivates me to live my life for God's glory. I want to show Christ through the way I live, I want to help preserve and cherish his astounding creation. The Holy Bible says in 1 John 13:34-35, "But whoso hath this world´s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" Philippians 2:4 likewise says, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."I strive to do this as I pursue a career in emergency medical service. 

Works cited

Whitehead, Steve. "Never move faster than your ability to make good decisions." Ems1, 30 Nov. 2020, https://www.ems1.com/safety/articles/never-move-faster-than-your-ability-to-make-good-decisions-XiqzknSLeImi8Ye6/

Somers, Anna. "Are paramedic graduates effectively prepared for death?" 

Journal of paramedic practice, 02 Oct. 2021

https://www.paramedicpractice.com/features/article/are-paramedic-graduates-effectively-prepared-for-death-a-scoping-review

Sholley, Chris. "Interested in becoming a paramedic or EMT."

CETRONIA, Ambulance corps, 14 Dec. 2021

https://www.cetronia.org/interested-in-becoming-a-paramedic-or-emt/