An emergency department technician is a professional who responds to calls for medical attention by caring for victims in various emergency situations. These technicians work to save the lives of people who are in car accidents or help to address non-life threatening problems such as a broken arm. To become an emergency department technician, a person needs to complete some post-secondary education. Solid communication skills and a willingness to work under extreme pressure also are critical in the emergency technician industry.
An individual who would like to become an emergency department technician should complete a certificate training program, which usually lasts for a few months. To get into this type of program, you need a high school diploma or the equivalent certification. Training programs also require that you fill out an enrollment application and a medical history form, as well as submit your most recent standardized test results.
While in an emergency training course, you must take several basic courses that introduce you to the industry. For instance, a course on phlebotomy methods will teach you how to collect blood from patients correctly, as this is a necessary duty of an emergency department technician. You also must study emergency room procedures and basic life support so that you know how to address patients suffering from life-threatening illnesses and injuries.
Getting hands-on experience is extremely important in the emergency worker field. You should take advantage of laboratory classes in your training program that allow you to practice taking electrocardiograms, which record the heart’s electrical activity in an effort to pinpoint heart issues. In addition, you will practice inserting intravenous lines that deliver fluids such as medicines to patients. Taking care of wounds and transporting patients also are skills that you must master if you wish to become an emergency department technician.
On-the-job training additionally is necessary to work in an emergency setting as a technician. While in the field, you should gain exposure to patients who suffer from emergency childbirths or even heart attacks. In addition, choking victims and people who have bone fractures or are bleeding will test your ability to solve medical problems quickly and efficiently while supporting doctors and nurses. Your college training program’s career services department then can help you to find hospitals that are willing to hire an emergency department technician. Some areas also require that these healthcare professionals are licensed before they can work.