Just like all over the globe, medicine is considered to be a noble profession in India as well, most often sought after by academically inclined individuals. Doctors always topped the list of medical careers, with nursing at a close second while medical professions including paramedics, technicians, radiographers remained in the shadows. However, with the emergence of Ziqitza Emergency Healthcare Services in partnership with the government, careers in the emergency medical care space are now gaining prevalence.
In an effort to improve the standard of healthcare in the country, there is wide-spread awareness being created about the emergency numbers including 108, 1298 and 102 to make efficient and reliable medical help accessible to even the remotest areas. This has created several career opportunities for young aspiring healthcare professionals. While 108 is the helpline for Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Assam, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, 1298 is for Mumbai, Bihar, Odisha, Punjab and Kerala. 102 on the other hand is for National Highways across the country.
An Emergency medical service unit usually consists of personnel, equipment and resources aimed to provide urgent medical aid to people. Paramedics are required to be trained in basic life support care, trauma, respiratory, cardiac, diabetic, allergic and behavioral emergencies. They also need to have the skills to deal with poisonings and assist childbirth. However it is imperative that those aspiring to work in emergency medical healthcare understand that professional skills alone are not sufficient. They need to be emotionally equipped to deal with patients as they are the first to arrive on the scene of accident. Training in interpersonal skills is of prime importance as they interact with people from different backgrounds. They need to remain calm and composed at the scene and display confidence while providing reassurance to distraught patients, their family, accident victims and bystanders.
They should also be in good physical condition since they may need to lift heavy patients. These professionals transport patients from the scene of emergency to the clinic or hospital and vice versa as well, if required. While transporting patients, they monitor their vital signs and provide information from their observations or treatments to the doctors on reaching the medical facility. They are also trained to document each and every call they go on with, as well as patient insurance information and vehicle maintenance reports. Their profession also requires them to be trained to check inventory in the ambulance at the beginning of each shift and after each call, restock supplies as needed and ensure the functioning of the ambulance.
The recruitment for the employment of emergency medical technicians and pilots for the 108 Ambulance Services involves a screening process which comprises of a written test, technical selection, interview, medical test and road rules test. Emergency medical technicians can be both male and female in the age group of 20-30 years with educational qualifications of BSc (Nursing), General Nursing Management (GNM), Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), Diploma in Pharmacy and Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT). For Pilot, the candidates must be male, aged between 24-35, with a height of not less than 162.5 cm, three years of driving experience of heavy vehicles.
On the whole, pre-hospital care is a demanding career as emergency medical services and facilities operate 24×7; thus, professionals in this field should be willing to work for prolonged duration on holidays and weekends as well. In return, you have the chance to come forward and save lives.