Hey guys, I know there's quite a few of these threads floating around and they were all informative in their own way. However, my questions are coming from a different starting point which makes me want to seek.. clarification.
I am (start drumroll) an EMT-basic. That's right, nothing more. For the Australians who I hope can answer me, this is essentially BLS sans the IV's. There's only 140 or so hours of in class education, and we give five drugs - O2, ASA, what you call salbutamol, epinephrine via auto-injector, and ipratroprium bromide. We also can give nitroglycerin, so long as the patient has their own and is incapable of taking it for themselves.
I'm not wondering if I can be hired as a paramedic and hop on the street right away - that would be ridiculous. What I'm trying to discern is what the path to becoming an Australian paramedic would be, and how to go about it. It's hard for me to justify getting my EMT-P license in the United States, and paying the money to do so, when it would ultimately be worthless abroad. Besides, I'd rather learn more than how to respond to symptom X or situation Y with protocol Z.
My questions, in no particular order:
1.) With an EMT-Basic license, and full time experience of three years in BLS, what would I qualify to test for? I imagine a certificate IV includes intravenous access, so that's right out, but I'm just guessing - it's been impossible to find a common scope of practice.
2.) Should I find an employer who will put me through school while I work for them, or go to school and then find an employer? It seems the former is more typical, but probably more difficult to do for a foreigner.
3.) Does anybody know of a state/territory who is hiring, and works with foreign applicants? St John's was friendly enough on the telephone, and said they do accept international applicants, but it was hard to get much further than that. I think she was having a hard time understanding me thanks to the American accent.
What I've read of Aussie EMS makes me smile and get giddy, I just want to make sure I'm taking the best route and not running in to dead ends.
Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for any help!
I am (start drumroll) an EMT-basic. That's right, nothing more. For the Australians who I hope can answer me, this is essentially BLS sans the IV's. There's only 140 or so hours of in class education, and we give five drugs - O2, ASA, what you call salbutamol, epinephrine via auto-injector, and ipratroprium bromide. We also can give nitroglycerin, so long as the patient has their own and is incapable of taking it for themselves.
I'm not wondering if I can be hired as a paramedic and hop on the street right away - that would be ridiculous. What I'm trying to discern is what the path to becoming an Australian paramedic would be, and how to go about it. It's hard for me to justify getting my EMT-P license in the United States, and paying the money to do so, when it would ultimately be worthless abroad. Besides, I'd rather learn more than how to respond to symptom X or situation Y with protocol Z.
My questions, in no particular order:
1.) With an EMT-Basic license, and full time experience of three years in BLS, what would I qualify to test for? I imagine a certificate IV includes intravenous access, so that's right out, but I'm just guessing - it's been impossible to find a common scope of practice.
2.) Should I find an employer who will put me through school while I work for them, or go to school and then find an employer? It seems the former is more typical, but probably more difficult to do for a foreigner.
3.) Does anybody know of a state/territory who is hiring, and works with foreign applicants? St John's was friendly enough on the telephone, and said they do accept international applicants, but it was hard to get much further than that. I think she was having a hard time understanding me thanks to the American accent.
What I've read of Aussie EMS makes me smile and get giddy, I just want to make sure I'm taking the best route and not running in to dead ends.
Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for any help!