New Jersey EMT Programs

New graduates celebrate with their families at their nursing commencement ceremony.

How to Become a EMT Paramedic in New Jersey and EMT Paramedic Programs in New Jersey

The first of the medical professionals that a patient may encounter during a medical emergency is an EMT paramedic. These professionals are the ones that arrive in ambulances and help stabilize and assess patients in the field. They have the job of determining if the patient needs transport to the hospital or not. If the patient needs to go to hospital, they will load the patient and make the journey. If the patient is in critical condition, the EMT can speak with the emergency room physician to see what steps are necessary to stabilize the patient until arrival at the hospital. There are two different levels of paramedic training required in New Jersey: EMT-Basic and EMT-Instructor.

The EMT-Basic is the first level of training required. With this level of curriculum, students learn a wide range of skills that allow them to provide the right services to the patient. This is important to understand when learning how to become an EMT paramedic in New Jersey. In New Jersey, most EMT professionals have this certification. This designation replaced earlier designations for EMT-Intermediate and EMT-Ambulance. Those training for this certification level meet national standards in this area. Training includes introduction to emergency care, the human anatomy, taking vital signs, patient movement, assessment skills, physical exam, communication, documentation, pharmacology, handling emergencies, and handling patients of various ages and conditions.

The EMT-Instructor level provides a certification for those qualified to teach the EMT-Basic classes. Those that seek this level of certification go through testing and must have a certain number of hours in the field as an EMT. Almost all EMT-Instructors are associated with one of the many training programs in the state of New Jersey. These professionals may also perform as EMTs in the field while also being an instructor. The program in New Jersey is quite straightforward. No one works in an ambulance without an EMT-Basic certification. Those that teach are the next level up in rank.

Those that want to work as an EMT in New Jersey will need to complete a certified training program. There are well over a dozen training programs for EMTs spread across the state. All use a common curriculum developed at the national level. Students learn both in the classroom and in a practical area. They need to have the working knowledge of how to perform various tasks and to assess patients in the field. Many also take rotations to obtain practical training in the hospital or other medical facilities. This helps to develop their medical training and assessment abilities.

• New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services