# I am in training and have some questions



## medman123 (Mar 13, 2007)

I am in training to be an EMT. Can some one please explain to me what some of the differences of the titles? (EMT-1, EMT-2/3, EMT-B EMT-Paramedic) and what they can or can't do? Thanks for your help. (Sorry that was hard to write)


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## MMiz (Mar 13, 2007)

Hey and welcome to EMTLife!

Where are you from?  Currently the only levels recognized by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians is EMT-Basic (EMT- B, EMT-Intermediate/Specialist (EMT-I) and EMT-Paramedic (EMT-P).  You can think of them as an Associates, Bachelors, and Masters degree in EMTing.  
EMT-Basics have about 110 hours of training
EMT-Intermediates have about 200-400 hours of training
Paramedics have 1,000 or more hours of training
Their scope of practice varies depending on the county/state, but here is a cool chart that gives a basic description of what each can do.

I hope that helps!


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## Airwaygoddess (Mar 13, 2007)

Welcome to the tribe!


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## Ridryder911 (Mar 13, 2007)

medman123 said:


> I am in training to be an EMT. Can some one please explain to me what some of the differences of the titles? (EMT-1, EMT-2/3, EMT-B EMT-Paramedic) and what they can or can't do? Thanks for your help. (Sorry that was hard to write)



When you get that figured out, let me know as well. With over 150 acronyms out there.. I give up!!


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## medman123 (Mar 13, 2007)

MMiz said:


> Where are you from?


Thanks for your help! I live in Thousand Oaks CA


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## HorseHauler (Mar 13, 2007)

MMiz said:


> Hey and welcome to EMTLife!
> 
> Where are you from?  Currently the only levels recognized by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians is EMT-Basic (EMT- B, EMT-Intermediate/Specialist (EMT-I) and EMT-Paramedic (EMT-P).  You can think of them as an Associates, Bachelors, and Masters degree in EMTing.
> EMT-Basics have about 110 hours of training
> ...




Wow, that site says I can do a heck of a lot of things. lol
Thats a pretty neat site, thanks for posting!


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## fm_emt (Mar 13, 2007)

medman123 said:


> Thanks for your help! I live in Thousand Oaks CA



Ah, that explains it.

This stupid state just HAS to be different.

In California, it's like this
EMT-I (EMT-B/Basic)
EMT-II (EMT-I/Intermediate)
EMT-P (EMT-P/Paramedic)

And that's all there is to it.


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## Alexakat (Mar 14, 2007)

fm_emt said:


> Ah, that explains it.
> 
> This stupid state just HAS to be different.
> 
> ...



In Virginia, we have

EMT-Basic
EMT-Enhanced
EMT-Intermediate
EMT-Paramedic


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## BossyCow (Mar 15, 2007)

Washington has:

EMT - B Basic
EMT - I Intermediate
EMT - P Paramedic

But, there is also an IV and Airway certification which can be added to EMT-B without having the EMT-I.


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## Psyhco.138 (May 6, 2007)

*florida is easy*

EMT- B
Paramedic 
that's it.


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## bstone (May 6, 2007)

My EMT-Basic course was 140 hours. Same number of hours for my EMT-Intermediate course.


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## sommers (May 14, 2007)

i do my training since january and i'll finish in june. we have 169 hours. 
2 weeks training course in company of ambulance .
1 week in emergency hospital
1 week in emergency ambulancee or emergency hospital again.
1 week with old person in hospital.


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## bled12345 (May 16, 2007)

*alberta*

in alberta its

EMR (emergency medical responder)
EMT-A (emergency medical technician - Ambulance)
EMT-P (emergency medical technologist - paramedic)


EMR: In alberta, firefighters are trained to this level, its a 2-3 week course depending where you go, under the scope of practice you can use OPA's and NPA's to secure a patent airway, apply a femoral traction splint, give ASA (aspirin) oral glucose, and you can med assist if the patient has their own prescription with  salbuterol, atrovent (ventolin)   and epinephrine (auto injector epi-pens)  you can use a bag valve mask, administer oxygen, and i know there's a couple more things but thats the jist of it, you can work on a BLS car in a rural area as an EMR as well.


EMT: is about 3-4 months of school, and about 2-3 months of practicum work. 1 practicum is at a hospital, the next is with an interhospital transfer service, and the longest practicum is working with a paramedic on an ALS car.
At the EMT level some of the drugs you can administer on top of the ones EMR's can administer, is entenox (sp?)   D-50, (dextrose)   glucagon, epipinephrine (auto injector or drawn) saline, and a few more I can't think of off the top of my head. You can insert a blind combitube,  give Intra muscular injections, Subcutaneous injections, and run IV lines.


EMT-P:  well heck, they can do just about anything they want


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## ffemt8978 (May 17, 2007)

fm_emt said:


> Ah, that explains it.
> 
> This stupid state just HAS to be different.
> 
> ...



Don't even get me started...

Here's a link to the various levels in WA state - yes, there are 8 different levels.
http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/emstrauma/initcert.htm


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## bstone (May 17, 2007)

ffemt8978 said:


> Don't even get me started...
> 
> Here's a link to the various levels in WA state - yes, there are 8 different levels.
> http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/emstrauma/initcert.htm



Now that's nuts. 3 levels is just fine, but 8?

The only way I would think 8 is slightly ok is if you can slowly progress to medic. The major hold up for a lot of people is the time commitment for medic. I can do a semester of classes, but not three in a row. If there was a way to cut it up then that would be cool. Even so, 8 is just nuts.


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## Ridryder911 (May 17, 2007)

I agree 8 levels is nuts ! Even 3 levels is nuts! ..

Why should there be more than one ? Again, only justification is an excuse of not delivering the full care needed in an emergency. 

Utilize the Basic level as designed for, first responder to be followed by the Paramedic for the stabilization and transporting provider. Remember, any other levels in between is still only comparing themselves to the Paramedic level. 

R/r 911


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## stylistic007 (May 18, 2007)

I am currentley in the process of applying for an EMT-A course at Alberta Health and Safety Institute of Alberta (www.safetyed.ca).  You might want to check them out for EMR and EMT-A courses.  They are fast track courses: 2 weeks full time for EMR, and roughley 6 months for EMT-A.

Another thing to note is that you have to pay for every step.  So far, for the EMR I payed $1000 for the course, $400 to take the Alberta College of Paramedics (ACP) exam, and then $275 to register with ACP.

For EMT-A I have to pay $85 for the application process, and if I get in another $6000 (roughly) for the course.  Then I think Its $600 for the ACP exam and another $275 for registration.

You can go to the ACP web site to see accredited institutions you can take your courses at.            http://www.collegeofparamedics.org/

About hiring in calgary I talked to the EMS Recruiting Officer and he said that preferably they like to hire EMT-A's with six months experience.  They find that is quit overwhelming for green Tec's comming into the calgary scene.

They do however hire straight from schools though.  My coordinator said her husband just recently got hired with no experience, but in hindsight wished he had 6 months to 1 year in a rural area before he got on in Calgary.

My coordinator said Calgary EMS is hiring about 100 more EMS staff in the next year.

Hope that helps.


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