Simulation Experts Discuss Value of EMT Training

Simulation training has become the gold standard of healthcare education. But when it comes to experience and training for simulation technicians and simulation operators, the industry is still working on standard requirements and expectations. Many people interested in working in the simulation field are left to decide the best training and education on their own, and many institutions who need to hire new sim techs don’t know what to look for. If you are looking to hire new simulation technicians, applicants with an EMT (emergency medical technician) certification are a good place to start. In fact, several of the simulation experts working at Level 3 AV started out as EMTs themselves. In a recent webinar they outlined some of the reasons EMT experience is great preparation for work as a sim tech.

WHY EMTS AND SIMULATION ARE A PERFECT MATCH

1. EMTs know how to work under pressure. Whether it’s helping a pregnant mom deliver a baby in the front seat of her car or organizing 40 first responders to staff a busy emergency room, EMTs are no strangers to tense or chaotic situations. That experience of working under pressure comes in handy for a sim tech when, for example, a scenario isn’t running correctly and an instructor is breathing down their neck to get it fixed. EMT training prepares future sim techs to assess the situation calmly and resolve the issue without losing their head.
2. EMTs are familiar with healthcare settings. While EMTs transitioning to healthcare simulation might need a little time to learn the technology, they are familiar with healthcare settings, from understanding medical terminology to knowing the best way to communicate and collaborate with busy doctors and nurses to knowing what different vital signs mean. When an instructor says the “patient” in a scenario needs to go into shock, for example, EMTs know just what that looks like and how to make it happen in a simulation.
3. EMTs have a broad range of experience. Whether it is working on an ambulance crew or in an emergency room, EMTs have seen just about every type of case an instructor would want to replicate in a simulation. That makes them both knowledgeable and adaptable in a healthcare simulation setting. Is your simulation actor a no-show and you need someone to act like a mental health patient? An EMT has seen that before and can step in to play the role. Does your simulation require the manikin’s vital signs to respond in real time to certain medications or procedures? An EMT knows how a live patient would respond and can set up the simulation correctly without any hand-holding.

NEXT STEPS

For more insight into why EMTs are well prepared for the sim tech role, watch our webinar, “EMTs and Healthcare Simulation.” And for newly hired sim techs who need some training on the technology side of things, consider sending them to our upcoming Ultimate Sim Tech Bootcamp.

Have questions or ready to get started on your simulation lab? Reach out to us here or click the chatbox below to connect instantly. We look forward to connecting with you!