Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians and Medical Malpractice

Of all medical professionals, the occupation thatSerious Mistakes Made By EMTs and Paramedics
combines the largest amount of quick thinking andParamedics and EMTs must not only make serious
responsibility combined with the least amount ofdecisions fast, but also carry out life saving
required school time is that of Emergency Medicalprocedures in a fast-moving ambulance. When trying
Technician and Paramedic.to act quickly, these professionals may make serious
EMTs typically go to school for about four months,accidents such as:
but there are a number of accelerated programs• Dispensing the wrong drug or the wrong dosage
which last for as little as six weeks. Paramedics go toof the drug
school for about two years but are allowed to• Failing to get to the victim in a timely manner
perform much more advanced patient treatment,• Failing to follow evaluation protocols
including starting intravenous lifelines and using• Moving a patient with a spinal injury in the wrong
advanced airway management techniques.manner
Paramedics are also certified to give out 30-40• Failing to administer oxygen to patients
different types of medications depending on the• Not taking all the proper measures necessary to
state in which they operate.arrive quickly to the hospital
EMTs and paramedics are the first to arrive to theParamedics and EMTs are often the only people who
scene when a person is in serious distress. Thecan save patients with ailments requiring immediate
decisions that they make in the period it takes to getcare, such as heart attacks and strokes. The
the struggling patient from the place where he or sheimportance of doing their jobs diligently and correctly
was injured to the hospital can make the differenceshould never be taken lightly.
between life and death for the victim.