Emergency Room Tech--Advice Needed!

[laurenv]

Hi!

I was just wondering if anyone could help me out...I'm interested in working as a emergency room tech. Can anyone please tell me what type of school or tech degree I would need. I'm moving to the Chicago area, so anywhere around there would be great. I already have my undergrad degree and I've volunteered in the emergency room for a year. Please let me know what else I would need to qualify for this position. I would appreciate any input!! Thanks!!

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[Daedalus]

Hey Laurenv,
For and ER tech position, you will almost assuredly need an EMT-I certification. On top of that, you could take another class designed specifically for preparing someone to be an ER tech (this will require the EMT-I cert as a prereq - at least they have this ED tech class here at UCLA, I'm really not sure how common these are elsewhere). Other than that, check with the particular hospital you want to work at. Good luck!

 

[bemused]

Hey Laurenv,
For and ER tech position, you will almost assuredly need an EMT-I certification.

Not necessarily. I started out an an ED tech w/ my EMT-B cert and received extra training through the hospital. I later moved to another city where only CNAs were used as ED techs.

check with the particular hospital you want to work at

That's probably the best advice.

 

[Daedalus]

Not necessarily. I started out an an ED tech w/ my EMT-B cert and received extra training through the hospital. I later moved to another city where only CNAs were used as ED techs.

Sorry, I meant to say EMT-1, not Intermediate.

 

[12R34Y]

I've actually never heard of an ED that requires EMT cert for ER Tech. Many use CNA's and many many use on-the -job training and that's it.

I've worked at 3 different hospital ED's in 3 different states and none required anything but a driver's license and being 18 years old.

just call hospitals and find out.

later

 

[Dukes]

It's definitley highly variable in what hospitals require for ER Tech positions. Where I worked you really didn't need any certs but it certainly helped to have EMT-B and especially EMTI/P. Nearby at UVA I'm pretty sure they required EMT-B. Other hospitals require EMT-P. Also the skills you'll be alowed to do is highly variable. Where I worked I was limited to blood draws, foleys, etc... while in some hospitals you can do as much as casting, and sutures. Regardless, I think being an ER tech is a great job especially if you plan on going further with your medical education.

 

[12R34Y]

suturing as an ER tech? don't believe it.

later

 

[PluckyDuk8]

Some of the ER's in Chicago and the suburbs will not need EMT-B, some will need EMT-B, and some need EMT-P or other technician type certifications. It depends on the hospital. The jobs are sometimes hard to get...Also, there is no EMT-I in the non-rural parts of Illinois.

 

[Dukes]

suturing as an ER tech? don't believe it.

later

Actually, I was thinking about that after I wrote it and frankly I thought I heard it somewhere but you are right, ER techs don't suture. Maybe someone said suture removal. Who knows, but the point of my earlier post was that some places have their techs do a lot more than others.

 

[deleted6669]

we used to have a protocol for nurses to do simple repairs but none of the providers would sign off on the charts when the nurses sutured so it quietly died....

 

[Siggy]

At the hospital I volunteer at, the techs used to be able to give the home care instructions. Unfortunately, one tech screwed it up for the rest because the tech didn't ask the nurse for a question he/she didn't know the answer to. So, its back to the nurses giving the home care instructions.

 

[canjosh]

I used to work at a tertiary pediatric facility where EMT-Ps are allowed to suture. They are trained by plastics and actually do some very difficult repairs, including nasty facial ones (on kids!). The EP's love the increased efficiency, and they have complete confidence in the abilities of the medics. After all, suturing is a mostly technical skill with some art involved. It doesn't require extensive knowledge in physiology, pharmacology, etc.

 

[EMT036]

Check with the hospitals you are interested in working for... I work as an ED tech in a hospital that prefers not to hire EMT's, and just put new hires through hospital training... Apparently the EMT's were being too independent and putting O2 on patients with SpO2's in the 60's... It's a drug after all... :-/

 

[12R34Y]

again....i wasn't talking about paramedics suturing up things (which I think is also a bit of a stretch), but I was referring to your run-of-the mill ED tech. they don't suture.

yes, many do suture removal though.


later

 

[canjosh]

again....i wasn't talking about paramedics suturing up things (which I think is also a bit of a stretch), but I was referring to your run-of-the mill ED tech. they don't suture.

yes, many do suture removal though.


later

Yeah, unfortunately most places I have worked paramedics are just 'run-of-the-mill techs'. Heck, I even worked at a place where I wasn't allowed to have my cert (EMT-P) on my name badge. It was not recognized by the hospital as a relevant certification. So, instead of operating within our normal scope of practice, we're limited to delegated scut work. But I'm not bitter or anything...