Paramedics have an extremely challenging job. They are often on the frontline of highly unpredictable situations, saving lives, making critical decisions, and responding to emergencies. Whether you are hoping to start a career as a paramedic or want to excel in your current profession as a first responder, certain skills are required. From getting your BLS and ACLS certifications to utilizing teamwork and quick-thinking strategies, here are six skills every paramedic should know.

Basic and Advanced Life-Saving Techniques

A Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is the base level of techniques needed for any healthcare provider. BLS skills includes CPR, managing choking incidents, and effectively using an AED. The next and more advanced treatments and therapies after BLS is provided to a patient is taught and evaluated as part of an Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification. An ACLS course will teach you the advanced life support treatments and effective team dynamics for both in hospital and prehospital providers.

Respond Immediately

Paramedics need to be able to think quickly. Once you have determined the best course of action, there should be no hesitation in administering life saving therapies. Fast, effective care requires advanced decision-making skills. Should you transport the patient to the hospital or stabilize on the scene? You might need to navigate challenging situations, but assessing the situation and taking action quickly is vital. Taking an ACLS class can help eliminate any hesitation and give you the skills you need to make confident decisions in the moment.

Managing Injuries and Illnesses

As a paramedic, the knowledge and skills necessary for effective injury and illness management are essential. This means knowing how to assess injuries and illnesses and then providing the proper care prioritized to save lives. That means providing care for traumatic injuries, severe illnesses, and other life-threatening conditions.

How to Work As a Team

As with many medical professions, you will work as part of a team. Generally, paramedics work in pairs alongside other pre-hospital providers such as Firefighters, EMTS, and command staff. Paramedics also respond to larger incidents where more teams are needed. Teamwork is crucial to providing care. Teamwork for all field providers is essential. Whether you are assigned to provide lifesaving airway management, provide manual defibrillation to correct an arrhythmia, insert IVs, administer medications or a variety of other lifesaving skills and therapies, paramedics rely on the entire care team to treat and transport patients.

Great Communication Skills

An important part of teamwork is the ability to communicate effectively. Clear communication between all healthcare providers on a scene is essential for success. Paramedics also need to be able to communicate effectively with patients and the patient’s families. Determining the mechanism of injury, the events leading up to the emergency and the medical/social history of each patient can be critical factors in determining the correct diagnosis as well as the correct treatment algorithm.

Situational Awareness

The incident you are responding may have already occurred and may still be evolving. Paramedics and other first responders must enter all situations without a heightened sense of awareness. Is there still an active fire burning on-scene? Has a live power line fallen to the ground? Are there ongoing threats of violence? If any variables in your immediate environment don’t seem right, take a moment to reevaluate and prioritize your safety, observing any potential hazards. You should even be prepared to move your patient if the situation calls for it. Perhaps the most important skill you’ll learn as a paramedic is to expect the unexpected.

About Cascade Training Solutions

Cascade Training Solutions helps more than 100,000 students each year gain the vital skills they need to save lives. As an authorized provider of many healthcare and workplace safety curricula, they have been the trusted partner of countless healthcare organizations, public safety agencies, individuals, and corporate entities since 2002. Whether your organization’s focus is safety, resuscitation, and compliance training, Cascade Training Solutions has what you need. They also offer training in advanced life-saving techniques. Take your career to the next level by attending one of their courses at one of the seven centers that provide training and certification with more than 25 nationally validated certification courses. Whether you’re looking for a comprehensive education and compliance program or an individual certification, Cascade Training Solutions offers the cost-effective, patient care-focused solutions you need.

Get ACLS certified and become a better paramedic at https://www.cascadetraining.com/

Original Source: https://bit.ly/43WIYqF