The Evolution Of The Advanced Practice Paramedic

By Bernice Terry


An advanced practice paramedic of today is a professional who goes through years of training to provide advanced, immediate health care to those who have suffered an accident which may damage their health. These professionals are found all over the world and are often essential to the survival of many victims of injury, saving lives of thousands.

The first paramedics can be dated back as far as military conflict began. Chronicles documenting the battles of the Roman civilizations have been found which have early accounts of these health care workers. The more elderly soldiers were often asked to go into the battlefield to pick up the wounded and deliver emergency health care. These were usually trained to stitch up wounds and amputate limbs.

An ambulance is often seen as any method of transportation for the sick of injured to an area where they are able to receive medical treatment for their ailment. The idea of an ambulance service has often been said to date back to the times of the bubonic plague in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. When the black death subsided, the public still called for the use of the ambulance service for other illnesses.

World war one saw the birth of vans and cars becoming the new ambulances. These paramedics were asked to drive ambulances to the nearest available medical services with the patients inside. As the world war grew in intensity and involved more and more people, word of these ambulances began to spread, and many people asked for them to be used in the towns and cities after reports were released which showed they increased the survival rates of many of the injured on the battlefield.

In the early days of the paramedic, especially during wars, paramedics were not regulated in any manner. These people were given freedom with many powerful drugs, such as opium and morphine. These powerful narcotics can cause serious issues if not used correctly, however many staff of warships were allowed to use as much as they wanted on the patients, as there were not enough doctors to watch them.

The evolution of the modern paramedic began in the 1960s, when early experiments began in Ireland to begin delivering cardiac care to heart attack patients before they get to the hospital. Though the technology available to the health care professionals was not very advanced, they were trained in treatment, rather than to just drive the ambulance to the hospital.

Throughout the following decades, the job of an emergency health care professional became more and more directed towards delivering patient care before they got to hospital. The description changed from 'ambulance service' to 'emergency medical services'. The powers of the paramedics tended to vary from area to area, and the levels of education they received differed. This is when the standardization of emergency medical care began to evolve, meaning paramedics were able to provide quality care wherever they were.

Now, the job of the advanced practice paramedic is a rich, diverse one. Offering many opportunities, the job is vital for saving lives and ensuring man emergency department can run as quickly and smoothly as possible.




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