EMT- for me?

[flippilf]

Hello to ya'll EMT's or EMS's...

I have decided or plan to take one of those EMT classes, but I am lacking the confidence because I am short (5'1'') thereby other EMT's might judge me for my height. Ya know those common prejudices..."he is short so maybe he is incapable of the job or possibly transfer/carry a patient...etc." I dunno... Is it common that a short guy like me be an EMT? hehe 😛 And, oh yea, thanx for the advice and encouragement 😎 i hope?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[SitraAchra]

Physical prowess isn't a great demand for EMTs honestly. There were quite a few porkers in the ambulance when I took the training course this summer, and also a lot of shorties in my class. There will be firemen to help with the heavy lifting so don't you worry.

 

[ntc1983]

Hello fellow shorty (I'm 5'1 too). I just finished my EMT class on Monday and had a blast. During my ambulance ride-along, I rode with 1 EMT and 1 paramedic, and both were about my height. I wouldn't be so worried about the height as much as being able to lift a certain weight. I think the basic requirement is around 40 lbs., but in the field, there will be people for whom you will need to call backup in order to transport. Good luck!

 

[PineappleGirl]

Hi,

I just finished my EMT course and would say that being short is no problem at all. In fact, I'd consider it an asset because you can stand up in the back of ambulance with no problem. I am about 5'6" and could just barely stand up in the ambulance without hitting my head and I definitely collided a couple times with those lights that kind of slope down from the ceiling. Someone your height would not have to worry about hitting his or her head while doing patient care in the back of the truck, so I think it would be a positive point. Most of the people in my class were fairly average height and weight, although I did notice that a lot of the instructors were pretty overweight and they were all working with ambulance companies at the time. You do have to be comfortable with the lifting though. Even just taking a fairly average weight person down several flights of stairs requires a bit of muscle. But, as someone else pointed out, you can always call for a lift assist from the fire department or another ambulance.

Feel free to PM me with any questions about EMT. I just finished my course so everything's fresh in my mind.

G'luck.

 

[shahalam]

Do you have to be certified in CPR before you take an EMT course or do they certify you through that program?

 

[PineappleGirl]

Do you have to be certified in CPR before you take an EMT course or do they certify you through that program?

In the course I took you got your CPR certification during the EMT course. During the first few weeks of the EMT class, they had a weekend lab where they did the CPR certification. It may depend on the class though.

 

[LJDHC05]

If you end up working in the field, you'll probably get some kind-natured ribbing about your height. Most EMTs are either college kids or lifers who just have their HS degree, so they're fun to work with. Most full time EMT's tend to gain weight because most of the job is sitting: driving or waiting for a call. And it can be a stressful job and there isnt a fridge on the rig so fast food is usually the meal of choice. The most you'll have to lift is 100 pounds while getting someone into the rig for half a second, you're not going to have to fireman-cary a 300 pound person on your back for 200 yards. As an EMT-B 90% of your cases aren't going to be emergent, just scheduled transports, so if there's anyone huge to transport, you'll have plenty of help. hope that helps!

 

[LJDHC05]

In the course I took you got your CPR certification during the EMT course. During the first few weeks of the EMT class, they had a weekend lab where they did the CPR certification. It may depend on the class though.

You can do a CPR cert at pretty much any hospital, and they're held all the time. Most classes offer to arrange to have you get a CPR cert if you dont have one.

 

[flippilf]

😀 😀 🙂 hehe... Thanx for all of the well-said inputs. My lack of confidence just went flying out of the ambulance window. Here comes another shorty to the rescue !!! 😉 Shorties UNITE!!! 😛

 

[ShyRem]

Depends on where you work. Two of the companies I worked for had a lift test where you had to lift 100 lbs from a variety of positions to a variety of heights, and carry 100 lbs up and down a set of stairs. I'd look into the requirements of your local company and start working out.

And NO, there are NOT always firemen to help you. I've been in EMS for 12+ years (paramedic for 10+) and again, depending on where you work, there may or may not be firemen to help you. If you're doing a transfer of a 300+lb patient from a nursing home (yes, it happens often) there won't be firemen 'cuz it's a transfer, not a 911. And not all systems page out firemen with ambulance (I worked in one such system - it was all you and no one else unless a COR or extrication equipment was necessary).

All that being said, one of my best partners was 4'11". She was awesome. Weighed perhaps 92 pounds dripping wet with rocks in her pockets. She and I lifted many a hefty all by ourselves. It's all about how you use it, not how big you are.

 

[45408]

As an EMT-B 90% of your cases aren't going to be emergent, just scheduled transports, so if there's anyone huge to transport, you'll have plenty of help. hope that helps!

That also depends where you work. In my last 24-hour shift, I had zero transports and 911 calls up the wazoo as soon as it started getting dark (the day had been painfully slow, but we were running ALL night).

 

[anon311]

-

 

[45408]

as an aside, EMS has many women in it, so you're not a whole lot shorter than many other EMTs. You're on the short side for a guy (I'm 5'9 and I'm still one of the shorter dudes), but there are other people on your end of the spectrum. 😉

 

[abraxas]

Just hope that you don't get teamed up with someone over 6', the only reason why is because it can cause some problems when lifting up patients.

 

[SitraAchra]

ShyRem - I'm brand new and still an idealist. I think of my Scene Size-up and the "request additional resources" bullet next to mechanism of injury and number of patients 😀 .

 

[cuillezVJ]

While your height may be an asset in the back of the rig, be prepared for a bit of 'hazing,' especially if you run with a volunteer service. As a new (small blonde female) EMT I was unofficially tested by my department, especially in lifts. Just remember, lift with the legs.