Volunteer as a paramedic or as an EMT! EMS volunteers, including EMTs and paramedics, serve many different roles on IMR teams on medical mission trips. From taking vital signs in triage to providing emergency care, the value of our EMS volunteers on our missions is unsurpassed. Some ways that you may be involved in clinic include:

• Providing emergency care of patients who walk into clinic or have been involved in an accident.
• Working in the clinic ICU, primarily monitoring IVs and providing wound care. You may obtain IV access for patients if you have a current IV certification.
• Triaging patients for sick and well care.
• Triaging patients waiting outside the clinic for immediate response.
• Teaching medical staff members how to take blood pressure and monitoring their work to ensure accuracy.
• Taking vital signs in the triage area and as needed for providers.
• Providing wound care and running lab tests as needed.
• Providing patient transports as required.
• Teaching community health education classes, including CPR, choking, and wound care.
• For paramedics,  providing well care of patients with the nursing team.

In addition to these primary roles, EMS personnel play an important advisory and participant role following accidents that the team may see during transport or clinic and in post-disaster situations. While these events are rare, having qualified EMS team members is vital in providing the best care we can for our patients.