A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. Most paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units. Paramedics provide out-of-hospital treatment and some diagnosis services, although some may undertake hospital-based roles such as in the treatment of minor injuries. Emergency medical services encompass ambulance and paramedic services that provide urgent prehospital care for the treatment and stabilization of serious injuries and illnesses in an emergency
You get 3 types of paramedics:
ALS paramedics have specialized emergency medical services training in a set of life saving protocols and skills.
ALS paramedics use more sophisticated methods such as intravenous fluids and medications, in conjunction with advanced airway management and ventilation on patients with the aim of decreasing mortality and improving the health-related quality of life for the patient. When a patient is in cardiac arrest ALS can diagnose and perform the necessary defibrillation.
ILS & BLS are prehospital medical care used to ensure that a patient is stable enough to be transported to hospital for more appropriate medical care.
ILS paramedics can be used in the Management of patients ranging from premature birth to geriatric emergencies, where patients need high care/ICU or ventilatory and respiratory support and in cases where patients require cardiac monitoring etc.
BLS paramedics can be used for non-critical dislocations and bone fractures, where patients do not need cardiac monitoring, when psychiatric patients only need transportation and no intervention etc.