What are the negative effects of EMT?

Exposure to traumatic events was reported to be between 80% and 100% among EMTs, and rates of PTSD are >20%. High-risk alcohol and drug use rates among other emergency response professionals were reported to be as high as 40%.

What is the hardest part about being an EMT?

Physical Demands: The job is physically demanding, requiring EMTs to lift heavy patients, navigate challenging environments, and remain active for extended periods, which can lead to physical exhaustion. Unpredictable Work Environment: Each call can present unique challenges, and EMTs must be prepared for anything.

What is the most common injury in EMT?

Sprain and strains as the result of overexertion and bodily reactions are the most prevalent of all injury types incurred by EMTs.

Is being an EMT safe?

Safety risks

Their duties create an inherent risk for on-the-job injuries and illnesses. EMS workers face many safety risks, including: Lifting patients and equipment.

Are EMTs stressed?

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) experience significant stress at work (1). The cumulative stresses experienced can be associated with traumatic events and cause traumatic stresses (2).

REAL Pros & Cons of EMS... (EMTs & Paramedics)

Do EMTs get depressed?

Depression and anxiety rates in EMS are 5–10 times higher than in other professions. EMS providers are 1.39 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population.

How strong are EMTs?

Strength & Lifting

EMTs and paramedics have to frequently lift patients, equipment and gurneys (and often from awkward positions). Most units' baseline expectation is to lift at least 100 pounds.

What are the 4 major injuries?

Four common examples of personal injury include back injuries, brain injuries, burn injuries, and paralysis. There are various ways that injuries can be classified.

What are most EMT cases?

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) frequently respond to calls involving traumatic injuries, abdominal pain, respiratory distress, and chest pain.

What is the most common shock seen by EMT?

Distributive shock is the most common type of shock, followed by hypovolemic and cardiogenic shock. Obstructive shock is relatively less common. The most common type of distributive shock is septic shock and has a mortality rate between 40 to 50%.

What is the life of an EMT?

Most EMTs and paramedics work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Schedules may vary to include nights, weekends, and holidays. Their work may be physically strenuous and stressful, sometimes involving life-or-death situations.

Where does EMT make the most?

What is the happiness rate for EMT?

Results: Ninety paramedics and EMT participated in the study, a response rate of 57.3%. Job satisfaction was cited as extremely satisfying by 11%, very satisfying by 29%, satisfying by 45%, and not satisfying by 15% of respondents.

Do EMTs have ADHD?

The prevalence of ADHD in the emergency services was researched by Cohen (1997), who stated that 18.5 percent of the fire and EMS personnel he surveyed in his department meet the criteria for ADHD (Perry, 1997). This was further explained, along with a statistical analysis, in Cohen (1997).

Do EMTs have PTSD?

Paramedics are at particularly high risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD). Hitherto, evidence for higher prevalence rates in paramedics compared to the general population is vague.

How to treat for shock as an EMT?

Next, do your best to determine the patient's type and stage of shock; treat the effects of shock with oxygen, IV fluids, and medications to maintain critical body systems. Elevate the patient's legs 8″ – 12″ if there are no lower body or spinal injuries. Keep the patient warm and prevent loss of body heat.

What is the most common EMT call?

What organs are affected by shock?

People go into shock when their blood pressure becomes so low that the body's cells do not receive enough blood and therefore do not receive enough oxygen. As a result, cells in numerous organs, including the brain, kidneys, liver, and heart, stop functioning normally.

What is the hardest part of being an emt?

What is the salary of an emt in the US?

The average salary for a emt-basic is $20.39 per hour in the United States. 1.4k salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months (updated August 10, 2025).

Who makes a good emt?

A good EMT or Paramedic is someone who has compassion for those they are called upon to care for. Someone who is willing to listen to others. Who is willing to admit they are part of a team and not a lone ranger and someone that will admit that they don't know everything.

What's the average age of an EMT?

EMTs were younger than paramedics, with a mean age of 34 compared to 37 years.

What do EMTs wear?

Boots, uniform shirts and tactical pants became standard. Color coding became a bit more developed, with many services adopting navy blue uniforms for EMS, darker or black for tactical medics, and red for special teams with high-visibility needs.

How stressful is it to be an EMT?

High-Pressure Situations

In the field, EMTs and paramedics must make swift, critical decisions. The life-or-death nature of their work means there is little room for error. This constant pressure to perform flawlessly can be overwhelming and exhausting, taking a toll on their mental health.

What are the three types of EMT?

Based on the biological context, EMT has been categorized into 3 types: developmental (Type I), fibrosis and wound healing (Type II), and cancer (Type III).