2.0 What do You Need to Know?The more the better. Keep reading and attend all the courses you can. In addition to an advanced EMT course the following skills are what I feel the person filling the role of "medic", should aim to be able to do:
- Use a medical dictionary and a basic medical textbook.
- Perform basic bandaging and dressings. Clean a wound, debride a burn.
- Use local anesthetic to numb a wound.
- Debride and suture a wound, but also know when not to suture a wound, and leave it open or perform delayed closure.
- Deliver a baby and afterbirth. Suture a tear, manage a post-partum bleed.
- Reduce and immobilize a short and long bone fracture/dislocation.
- Use basic counseling skills.
- Understand basic hygiene and preventive medicine practices.
- Recognize and treat common infections:
- viral flu
- pneumonia
- urinary infection
- wound or skin infection
- common STD's
- Recognize and treat common medical and surgical problems:
- asthma/respiratory distress
- abdominal pain - renal stones/appendix/bilary stones
- allergic reactions/anaphylaxis
- Look after some one who is bed bound, e.g. basic nursing care, managing the unconscious patient, catheterisation.
- Use basic dental skills, simple fillings, infections, extractions.
- Insert an IV and understand basic fluid resuscitation.
- Improvise medical equipment and supplies.