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Emergency Medical Technicians

SOC 29-2042.00Job Zone 3 · Medium Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers pre-hospital emergency medical care delivered by EMTs across field response, patient assessment, clinical intervention, transport, documentation, and organizational leadership contexts calibrated to Job Zone 3 preparation levels.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Patient vital signs — measure and record under direct supervisor guidance at an emergency scene or training simulation.
  2. Basic life support protocols — apply following established checklists during supervised field response calls.
  3. Patient medical histories — collect initial information by questioning and listening during supervised patient intake.
  4. Emergency medical equipment — identify, inspect, and stage under direction prior to shift deployment.
  5. Radio communication procedures — use standard terminology to relay patient status to receiving hospital staff under supervision.
  6. Scene safety assessments — perform preliminary hazard recognition checks before approaching an incident under EMT oversight.
  7. Spinal immobilization devices — apply cervical collars and backboards following step-by-step protocols under direct instruction.
  8. Patient observation findings — document basic signs and symptoms using agency-approved paper or electronic run reports.
  9. Oxygen delivery systems — set up and administer supplemental oxygen following prescribed flow rates under supervisor direction.
  10. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation — execute adult, child, and infant CPR cycles in accordance with current AHA guidelines during supervised responses.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Neuromusculoskeletal assessments — conduct structured physical examinations to identify motor deficits and injury patterns during routine emergency calls.
  2. Patient medical histories — obtain and record comprehensive histories independently by integrating questioning, observation, and chart review on scene.
  3. Critical thinking under pressure — analyze multiple patient symptoms simultaneously to prioritize treatment decisions with reduced supervisor oversight.
  4. Medication administration — prepare and administer approved EMT-level medications following standing orders in pre-hospital care settings.
  5. Electronic patient care reports — complete accurate, detailed documentation within required timeframes using agency medical software after each call.
  6. Patient communication — explain procedures and provide reassurance clearly to anxious or injured patients across diverse community settings.
  7. Trauma triage — apply START or similar triage systems to categorize multiple patients during mass casualty incidents with minimal direction.
  8. Airway management — perform bag-valve-mask ventilation and airway adjunct insertion for compromised patients during field emergencies.
  9. Pediatric patient assessment — adapt examination and treatment approaches for infant and child patients in home or school emergency settings.
  10. Monitoring changes in patient condition — track and interpret ongoing vital sign trends during transport to adjust care plans appropriately.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Complex patient assessments — integrate health history, physical examination findings, and clinical indicators autonomously to form differential impressions in high-acuity field situations.
  2. Non-routine emergency management — develop and execute individualized care plans for atypical presentations, including multi-system trauma and behavioral health crises.
  3. Advanced airway interventions — perform supraglottic airway placement and ventilator management during critical transports with full clinical independence.
  4. Spinal and musculoskeletal evaluation — assess neuromusculoskeletal system integrity using systematic examination techniques to guide immobilization and transport decisions.
  5. Pharmacological interventions — administer expanded formulary medications under medical direction protocols, adjusting dosing based on evolving patient response.
  6. Quality data documentation — produce thorough, legally defensible electronic patient care reports that support billing, quality review, and continuity of care.
  7. Interprofessional coordination — communicate detailed patient handoff reports to emergency department physicians and nurses using SBAR format during hospital transitions.
  8. Community health navigation — identify social determinants of health during patient encounters and connect individuals to appropriate community resources.
  9. Critical incident judgment — exercise independent decision making to determine transport destination, mode, and priority level across varied urban and rural environments.
  10. Technology integration — utilize information retrieval and medical software tools to reference protocols and clinical guidelines in real time during complex calls.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Agency protocol development — lead the design and revision of evidence-based clinical operating procedures that govern EMT practice across the organization.
  2. Clinical education programs — develop and deliver structured training curricula for new and continuing EMT staff using adult learning principles and simulation technology.
  3. Quality improvement initiatives — analyze patient care report data at an organizational level to identify trends and implement system-wide performance improvements.
  4. Medical director partnership — collaborate with physician medical directors to expand scope-of-practice guidelines and formulary approvals aligned with community health needs.
  5. Multi-agency incident command — serve as medical group supervisor during large-scale mass casualty events, directing triage and treatment resources across multiple crews.
  6. Mentorship and competency evaluation — assess EMT candidate performance during field internships and provide structured feedback that shapes workforce capability.
  7. Organizational policy leadership — set strategic direction for equipment procurement, vehicle deployment, and staffing models to optimize emergency response capacity.
  8. Community health advocacy — represent the EMS agency at public health forums and government bodies to influence pre-hospital care standards and funding priorities.
  9. Interdisciplinary program coordination — align EMS operations with hospital emergency departments, public safety agencies, and social services to build integrated care pathways.
  10. Research and innovation adoption — evaluate emerging pre-hospital clinical evidence and technology solutions, leading pilot programs to advance agency practice at the systems level.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

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Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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Show O*NET source anchors38 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Emergency Medical Technician · Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) · Ambulance Driver · Dispatcher · Emergency Department Technician (ED Technician) · Emergency Medical Driver · Emergency Medical Responder · Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) · Emergency Medical Technician - Basic (EMT-B) · Emergency Room Technician · EMT Paramedic (Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic) · EMT-B (Emergency Medical Technician- Basic)
RAPIDS apprenticeships
0228 · Emergency Medical Technician
O*NET skills
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingWriting
Knowledge domains
Medicine and DentistryCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageBiologyPsychologyEducation and TrainingTherapy and CounselingComputers and Electronics
Abilities
Oral ComprehensionProblem SensitivityOral ExpressionWritten ComprehensionDeductive ReasoningInductive Reasoning
Work styles
Attention to DetailDependabilityCautiousnessIntegrityCooperationSelf-Control
Technology
Information retrieval or search softwareMedical softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwarePresentation softwareWord processing software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Evaluate the functioning of the neuromuscularskeletal system and the spine using systems of chiropractic diagn
  2. Diagnose health problems by reviewing patients' health and medical histories, questioning, observing, and exam
  3. Perform a series of manual adjustments to the spine or other articulations of the body to correct the musculos
  4. Obtain and record patients' medical histories.
CIP education codes
51.0904

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.