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Paramedic skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Kevin Walker,

Kevin Walker

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical paramedic skills. We ranked the top skills for paramedics based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 16.2% of paramedic resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a paramedic needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 paramedic skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how paramedics use patients:

Provided medical care for critically ill or injured patients during inter-facility transports to higher level of care facilities.
Maintained good safety record * Managed small teams complete emergency operations * Certified and transported patients on ventilators

2. Acls

Here's how paramedics use acls:

Designed and implemented cardiology coursework and ACLS instruction regarding advanced telemetry and 12-lead cardiology analysis.
Stabilized, monitored and transported at ACLS level Organized and managed daily operations

3. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how paramedics use cpr:

Advanced critical care monitoring to include automated ventilators, automated medication administration pumps, and automated CPR machines.
Administered emergency medical treatment to patients including CPR, medications/drugs.

4. EMS

Emergency Medical Services, also known as EMS, is an emergency medical response system that provides stabilization and urgent preclinical and on-site treatment for serious illness and injury, as well as the transportation of patients who are unable to transport themselves to a definite health care center. The main objective of EMS is to provide emergency medical treatment to those who need urgent medical attention and to properly treat the patient's condition and transport them to a suitable health center or medical facility.

Here's how paramedics use ems:

Charleston, SC Critical Care Paramedic Hospital based EMS system Responded to emergency situations, transporting critical and non-critical patients.
Managed several special projects including a revision of the emergency equipment bags utilized by career and volunteer EMS providers.

5. BLS

Here's how paramedics use bls:

Perform any and all duties associated with being a paramedic to include all BLS and ALS procedures as defined by ADPH.
Transport and treat patients on a BLS level to a Critical Care level to facilities for a higher level of care.

6. EMT

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) provide urgent and emergent patients who enter the emergency medical services (EMS) system for out-of-hospital emergency medical treatment and transportation. EMTs are trained to stabilise and evacuate patients in a variety of situations, from non-emergency to regular hospital transports to life-threatening emergencies. Under the supervision of a physician, EMTs work as part of a robust EMS response scheme.

Here's how paramedics use emt:

Provide emergency medical support in capacity of EMT and Paramedic, primarily for emergency assessment and treatment on an ambulance.
Promoted from EMT to practicing Paramedic faster than any previous Paramedic in company history.

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7. Advanced Life Support

Here's how paramedics use advanced life support:

Directed patient care while performing assessments, administering medical interventions, and transporting patients requiring advanced life support during inter-facility transfers.
Provided basic and advanced life support and comprehensive patient assessment skills, invasive airway management, cardiac monitoring and medication administration.

8. EKG

Here's how paramedics use ekg:

Provided inter-facility transport to patients who required EKG monitoring, medication infusion and/or ventilator support during transport.
Utilized breathing apparatus, administered several pharmacological interventions, and EKG monitoring with 12 lead.

9. Triage

Triage is a method of prioritizing a patient or a group depending on the severity, diagnosis, and condition of the disease needing immediate medical care. It is often to determine a condition and identifying the appropriate destination before assessing where the patient will be going. A triage nurse commonly performs it.

Here's how paramedics use triage:

Coordinated emergency transport of patients while providing treatment and triage in a variety of emergency situations.
Provide triage and crisis management during emergent situations.

10. Medical Care

Here's how paramedics use medical care:

Provided advanced medical care to the sick and injured Completed documentation on patient care Completed inventory checks and equipment tests
Provided independent routine and emergency medical care to assigned and supported personnel in both permissive and non-permissive environments.

11. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how paramedics use customer service:

Focused on being a dependable patient advocate and providing exceptional customer service.
Rectify any customer service/operations issues while maintaining professionalism in high stress situations.

12. Medical Equipment

Medical equipment refers to apparatus for use in medical procedures.

Here's how paramedics use medical equipment:

Maintain confidentiality of medical information.maintain logs of daily activities and use of medications and controlled substances as well as medical equipment.
Maintained all medical equipment via weekly checks/testing and weekly inventory tracking including re- supply.

13. Compassion

Here's how paramedics use compassion:

Detailed reports and patient care delivered with compassion and professionalism in critical moments.
Provide support, compassion, and empathy during moments of crisis while maintaining clear focus.

14. PHTLS

Here's how paramedics use phtls:

Obtained instructor level in PHTLS, AMLS.
Qualified as Field Training Officer, Specialized Care Transport, ACLS/BLS, PEEP, GEMS, PHTLS, ASLS, AWLS.

15. IV

Here's how paramedics use iv:

Implement complex clinical and lifesaving procedures including advanced airway management, advanced cardiac monitoring, intravenous therapy, and IV medications.
Skilled in emergency treatment procedures including advanced airway management and cardiac monitoring as well as medication administration and IV starts.

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What skills help Paramedics find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on paramedic resumes?

Kevin Walker

College of Business, Eastern Oregon University

Everyone has roughly the same basic skills required for a position, or they're simply unqualified. Skills that stand out tend to be those that go above and beyond the basics. For example: Do you speak a second (or more) language? Do you have education or training in advanced oral and written communications? Do you have proficiency in office suite applications, particularly in Excel? Have you gained expertise in grant writing? Have you trained in a specialty area such as rescue diving or high-angle rescue? Have you acquired specialty certifications through a recognized authority (particularly if your new department has a need for them and no resources to send someone to train)?

What soft skills should all paramedics possess?

Kevin Walker

College of Business, Eastern Oregon University

In my opinion, the soft skills that are the most important, in no particular order, are emotional intelligence (the ability to 'read the room'), intercultural competency (the ability to interact with multiple cultures without offending everyone), the ability to work in a team environment (leading OR following), communication (especially under high-stress conditions), managing stress (poor stress management leads to health and performance issues), understanding conflict management and how to effectively deal with it, being open to constructive criticism, and understanding leadership. That's particularly important in that leadership is often equated with being a "born leader," which is mostly nonsense. You actually have to study leadership and learn to apply it. There are many leadership styles, and you have to match one to your personality. Understanding what works and what doesn't and, most importantly, WHY? This includes the ability to identify and understand leader/follower motivations so you can work effectively as a leader. Obviously, you can write a treatise on each of these soft skills, and many people have (and there are other recognized soft skills), but these are the soft skills that I've had the most experience and feedback as being most in demand.

What hard/technical skills are most important for paramedics?

Kevin Walker

College of Business, Eastern Oregon University

Identifying the most important technical skills is rather dependent on the department and position being sought. Required skills are usually set by regulations, SOGs, or SOPs, so identifying those as 'most important' misses the point. They're a minimum job requirement. However, understanding of and adherence to established standards and training is absolutely critical! Emergency situations are not the place to wing it. Learning to 'read' a fire or EMS scene, learning to assess threats and evaluate resources and options quickly and accurately, and learning to apply resources effectively to minimize loss and maximize life and safety are as essential to a career as to how to connect a hose, climb a ladder, or start an IV.

What paramedic skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Ben Price

CAE | CEO, National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting

In both surgical technology and surgical assisting, there's just really no substitute for experience, and there's no way to get that experience outside the operating room.

What type of skills will young paramedics need?

April Heinze

NENA's 9-1-1 and PSAP Operations Director, NENA

If graduates are looking for a position within public safety communications, some skills and abilities they would need include, but are not limited to, the following:

Skills:
-Keyboarding/Typing
-Multitasking
-Decision-making
-Critical thinking
-Verbal and written communication skills
-Ability to work as a team
-Active listening/hearing
-Customer service
-Call control
-Conflict resolution
-Problem-solving
-Analytical
-Troubleshooting

Abilities:
-Quick decision-making
-Empathy
-Respect
-Patience
-Even-temper
-Integrity
-Lifelong learner
-Dependable
-Flexible
-Efficient
-Detail-oriented

Do you want to know more?

List of paramedic skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a paramedic resume and required skills for a paramedic to have include:

Patients
Acls
CPR
EMS
BLS
EMT
Advanced Life Support
EKG
Triage
Medical Care
Customer Service
Medical Equipment
Compassion
PHTLS
IV
Medical Direction
Vital Signs

Cleanliness
Medical Services
Paramedics
Direct Patient Care
Good Judgment
Emergency Room
Critical Care
Emergency Care
Emergency Situations
Patient Assessment
Emergency Vehicle
Pathogens
Resuscitation
Catheter
Patient Care
Life Support Care
Medication Administration

Medical Procedures
Ambulances
Intubation
Medical Treatment
Communication Equipment
Stretchers
Pre-Hospital Care
Standing Orders
Non-Emergency Calls
Field Training
Traction
Airway Management
OSHA
PET
Splints
Medical Emergencies

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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Paramedic Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

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