What is a paramedic?

Paramedics are trained health professionals who respond to medical emergencies and provide urgent care. Paramedic titles may vary by state. There are also different types of paramedics. Here are some examples:

• paramedics who provide emergency care and transport for patients
• extended care paramedics, who provide more complex emergency care
• intensive care paramedics, who provide specialist intensive care, advanced medical procedures and provide emergency care

At the highest level are paramedic practitioners. These specially trained paramedics work closely with doctors, nurses and other health professionals. They can treat a range of health problems in many different places.

Many paramedics have training in primary healthcare. This means they can also help with health problems that are not emergencies.

What conditions can a paramedic help me with?

Paramedics are trained to help with serious accidents and injuries that need special medical equipment to save lives. They treat many different life-threatening conditions and injuries, such as:

• head injuries
• chest injuries
• difficulty breathing
• heart conditions

Paramedic practitioners can help both with sudden (acute) and long-term (chronic) health conditions and injuries.

How do I find a paramedic?

You should call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance when there is an emergency, such as when someone has had an accident or a health emergency.

Where do paramedics work?

Paramedics work in many different places. Paramedics usually work at accident scenes and transport patients to the hospital as part of the ambulance service.

You can also find paramedics in places such as:

• community health centres
• public and private hospitals
• aged care facilities
• schools
• mental health services
• drug and alcohol services
• military places

What should I expect when I'm seen by a paramedic?

You might meet paramedics for many different reasons.

When you are seen by a paramedic for emergency care, you can expect quick help. They are trained to do a range of medical procedures — for example:

• inserting IV (intravenous) lines, a way to give fluids or medicine directly into the bloodstream through a vein, for example, after a serious accident
• providing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), a technique used when someone isn't breathing or if their heart has stopped
• giving pain relief medicine, for example, for broken bones
• taking care of your airway, for example, by inserting a tube through your mouth, down into your airway to deliver oxygen if you are not breathing

A paramedic often needs to make quick decisions about your health, for example, if they need to safely move you from an accident scene.

They can also help you with hospital transfers, which means safely moving you from one hospital to another for further care. They support urgent mental health needs and keep a record of your condition, so that your health team can give you the right treatment. During transit, they treat you with care and make sure you get to the right place for further help.

Paramedic practitioners can advise you on how to stay healthy, prevent disease, or manage sudden or long-term health issues. Their aim is to make sure you get consistent and coordinated healthcare. They may follow up to provide you with ongoing health care, as a key part of your health team, in coordination with your regular doctors and nurses.

What qualifications or training do paramedics have?

To become a paramedic, you must complete a bachelor's degree in paramedic science, paramedicine or a similar study program. There are many courses, certificates, and degrees available to advance your career and progress into more advanced positions.

Paramedic practitioners must meet national registration standards, have front-line experience, and complete additional studies.

Resources and support

• If you or someone else has a non-urgent health problem, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• For more information becoming a paramedic, visit the Paramedicine Board of Australia.
• If you're exploring a career as an Intensive Care Ambulance Paramedic, visit the Australian government website for detailed information on this profession.
• For further details on paramedic practitioners with extra primary care abilities, please visit the Australasian College of Paramedic Practitioners website.