how hard is the emt course

Full Answer

How to succeed and become a certified EMT?

• Important Facts About a Career as an EMT
• Education and Essential Skills. There are three levels of EMT certification: basic, intermediate, and paramedic. ...
• Certification. ...
• Levels of Certification. ...
• Outlook and Salary. ...

What are the advantages of being an EMT?

What Are the Benefits of Being a Paramedic?

• Satisfaction from Helping Others. Because paramedics typically respond to emergency situations, their ability to quickly assess a medical condition and provide the appropriate medical care can make the difference between ...
• Part of a Team. ...
• Strong Growth Potential. ...
• Solid Career Foundation. ...

Is NREMT as hard as people act like it is?

When two people are being difficult with each other, the situation tends to escalate to a point where nothing will get accomplished. On the other hand, when you use lots of kindness with a difficult person many times, it diffuses the situation and you get more of what you want.

Is EMT school difficult?

Is EMT school difficult? You have to study, read, research, and show up to class on the and prepared. Overall it isn’t that difficult. The classes are about 140 hours long. Now if you want to go on to be a paramedic that is much harder but it is also a lot longer so there is time to prepare and study. Do EMTs get paid overtime?

Is learning to be an EMT hard?

EMT school is meant to be challenging. It's not as easy as you might think to pass and get certified. However, it is very doable for most people, if you put in the time and effort. Here's what you need to know about the difficulty of EMT school and the whole process of becoming an EMT.

How hard is it to pass the EMT test?

The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians exam is a challenging test of the candidate's knowledge and skill. It is difficult to pass. However, given the nature of the work that EMS personnel perform, a difficult test is necessary to ensure quality and well-trained emergency personnel are on the road.

Why is the EMT test so hard?

The NREMT exam is designed to feel hard. That's because it's adaptive, meaning that if you answer one question correctly, the computer will give you another question in the same content area that is harder. If you get that one right, you'll receive another question that's even more challenging.

Is it stressful being an EMT?

EMTs Are Low in Pay–High on Stress The 2011 Career Cast Report lists EMTs as the 9th most stressful career. Perhaps that's not so surprising considering EMTs get exposed to trauma, violence and death on nearly every shift.

How long is EMT school?

one to three yearsBecoming an emergency medical technician (EMT) or paramedic typically takes one to three years, depending on your career goals and educational path. EMT training focuses on life support techniques for first-response situations, including CPR, tourniquet application, and wound treatment.

How do I study for the EMT exam?

HOW TO STUDY FOR THE EMT EXAM?Keep Your Textbooks And Workbooks – Highlight definitions and any specifics that stand out, then read back over the highlighted portions until you feel confident enough in the concepts that you could teach someone else.Take the Practice Tests – Many EMT courses provide practice exams.More items...

Is 70 questions on NREMT good?

National registry exam questions for an EMT range from 70 questions through 120 questions. Individuals may pass or fail with 70 questions and others may pass or fail with 120 questions. The number of questions you receive is irrelevant. Just do your best and try not to over think any of the questions.

How do I know if I passed my EMT test?

As you may have noticed, once your computerized test ended, it didn't tell you whether you passed or failed! Regardless of whether your test kicked you out at 75 questions or 124 questions, there is no way to tell for sure whether you passed or failed the NREMT exam at the time of completion.

What happens if you fail NREMT 6 times?

Candidates who fail to pass the cognitive exam after a total of six attempts are required to complete an entire state approved education program.

Why do paramedics quit?

The most important reasons for leaving the profession were choosing to pursue further education and moving to a new location. A desire for better pay and benefits was a significantly more important reason for EMT-Paramedics' exit decisions than for EMT-Basics.

Is driving an ambulance hard?

Operating an ambulance is a lot more than driving lights and sirens to a call, there are dozens of moving parts and variables that turn the task of driving an emergency vehicle into being the conductor of a chaotic orchestra. The first task may seem simple in nature but is actually the hardest of all, calming yourself.

Why do EMTs make so little?

There are other reasons EMS pay is so low. Certification is minimal — it only takes 120 to 150 hours of training to become an EMT (paramedics require significantly more). Ambulances in rural communities are often staffed by volunteers, which depresses wages for those who do pursue the role as a career.

1. Meet All Prerequisites to Apply for a EMT Program

The first step is, in theory, quite easy. You will need to find an EMT school and ensure that you meet their conditions for entry.

3. Schedule And Pass Your National Registry Exam

We’ve looked at how hard it is to pass the NREMT in more detail here, but here’s what you need to know in a nutshell.

4. Complete A Background Check To Be An EMT

This is really easy and only takes a couple of days, but it’s only easy if you have a clean criminal record.

5. Get Hired As An EMT

Assuming you’ve completed each step of this process, then getting a job as an EMT should be relatively straightforward.

How many hours of EMT training is required?

A-EMT training (~250 hours classroom + ~100 hours clinical) is difficult for students with IQ levels <100, and challenging for those with moderately higher IQ levels. Starting pay may be no higher than for EMT-B, but opportunities for advancement and pay increases are somewhat better.

What is the biggest problem with EMT classes?

The biggest problem I’ve seen with students in the EMT course is that they don’t read their books or do their workbooks. If you rely only on what you hear in class, you will not do well. EMT training is very basic stuff. You will learn a little EMS history and the laws governing EMS.

What is an EMT-P?

Paramedic (EMT-P) (often just “medic”, in the trade) Supplemental certifications for paramedics, such as CCT (Critical Care Transport) or HAA (Helicopter Air Ambulance), usually just (“Critical Care” or “Flight Medic”)

How many hours of sleep do you need to be on 911?

EMS hours often suck. A common manning schedule is 24-on/48-off, and the 24 hour duty period can range from easy with a full night’s sleep to 25 hours of go-go-go.

What are the problems with EMT?

If you struggled with math and science, and reading comprehension, you will have problems. The biggest problem I’ve seen with students in the EMT course is that they don’t read their books or do their workbooks. If you rely only on what you hear in class, you will not do well. EMT training is very basic stuff.

Is EMT training difficult?

You should be aware, if you talk to older EMTs and medics, that current training is considerably more challenging than what they may have experienced.

Is it hard to become an EMT?

How to drive an ambulance and work within the EMS system. But EMT training isn’t hard – it’s adjusting and applying what you know to the real-world that is difficult. You realize EMT school is a breeze after you start working in the field. Parker Wilson.

What EMTs learn

EMTs complete coursework that provides the medical basis they need for their jobs. They learn about human anatomy and physiology, basic life-saving techniques, and how to use the medical equipment in the ambulance to keep patients alive.

Being successful in the program

When you go through EMT training, make sure to pay attention in class, study when you’re not in class, and give your best to the program. Students can join study groups or ask instructors for additional help on any concepts that are difficult to grasp. EMTs learn to work together in the field, and being confident is important.

How many attempts to become an EMT?

You get 6 attempts in total. After 3 attempts, you will be required to undertake 24 hours of remedial training before you are allowed to try again. If you fail a 6th time then you must, if you still wish to continue as an EMT, repeat the entire Emergency Medical Technician training course again.

How old do you have to be to be an EMT?

To become an EMT or Paramedic you must be at least 18 years of age, but there is no upper age limit. You cannot take the final NREMT exam until you are 18, though you may be able to start the EMT program at 17 years old. There are some general requirements to be an EMT or Paramedic, including these basic age limits.

What happens if you fail the EMT test?

If you fail the EMT test on the first attempt, don’t be too disheartened – everyone has bad days and you are not going to lose the opportunity to become an EMT. At least, not yet. Firstly, the folks at the NREMT will provide you results to your test that can help you better prepared the next time.

What is the NREMT exam?

The NREMT (National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians) exam is designed to challenge your EMT knowledge. It is an adaptive, computer-based test that will give each person different questions based on how they answered the last question, therefore the difficulty can vary.

How long do you have to wait to retake the EMT test?

So, don’t waste your time trying. You must wait 15 days following the last test before you can apply to re-sit the test, this is a standard requirement and cannot be waived. However, you are not given an unlimited number of tries to take on the EMT test. You get 6 attempts in total.

Can someone in their 90s become an EMT?

And there’s no reason that someone in their 90s or older (as long as they could do the work) couldn’t become an EMT, though it seems unlikely that this would happen in practice. However, there is a minimum age threshold, and this is set by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians ( NREMT ).

Can you answer a question on the NREMT?

Yes and no. Here are the hard facts – if you are fully prepared and have studied hard and know your stuff, they cannot put a single question on the exam that you can’t answer. There are no trick questions on the NREMT, the exam is not designed to make you fail, but it is designed to test you.

How many hours of training is required for EMS?

This training can require a minimum of 700 hours of classroom training, as well as a significant amount of field experience, but these medics can work in any setting, including airborne (helicopter) and wilderness EMS.

How old do you have to be to become an EMT?

You must be 18 years of age or older. You should have completed a state-approved EMT training program. You must possess a valid CPR certificate. You may be required to pass the NREMT examination. US citizen is usually required. Candidate must be in good health. Must be fluent in English. No criminal record.

What is CPR certification?

CPR certification and NAEMT (National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians) certifications such as Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) will give you the skills and confidence you need to move forward in the field.

What is an EMS license?

EMS is a professional level career that requires you to become licensed as a medical professional. Licensing will vary depending on what state you are in. Here is the general EMT timeline from start to finish:

What is the EMT B?

Basic EMT: Also called EMT-B, this is an entry-level position where you learn basic life-saving skills and health care knowledge needed to provide pre-hospital care. At this level you are typically paired with a higher-level provider in ambulances, on fire trucks, or in the emergency department.

Is EMT a rewarding career?

A Rewarding Career. Working as an EMT is an extremely rewarding career. EMTs have incredibly personal interactions with patients and their families. Moreover, they have the phenomenal ability to make a positive impact in their community and to truly serve those in need.

What is an EMT class?

An EMT class should be a mix of classroom lecture and scenarios/skills days. Tests typically are multiple choice, with the exception being the final which has a skills assessment (KED, longboard, bleeding control, etc.) EMT classes generally are not meant to weed people out.

Is paramecium hard to study?

10 made it to the final exam and practical. Only 3 of us passed both on the first try. Yes, you'll have a lot of people drop - because they thought it shouldn't be so hard that they need to study. I studied more for this than I ever studied in school.