Combat Medical Technician
A Combat Medical Technician (CMT) is a soldier with a specialist military trade within the RAMC Royal Army Medical Corps of the British Army and the Royal Air Force.
Role
The fully trained Combat Medical Technician or (CMT) is capable of:
- assisting with the management of surgical, medical and psychiatric casualties from the onset of the condition until the casualty is admitted to a hospital offering specialist care. This capacity is to include the immediate necessary first aid and other sustaining procedures required to hold a casualty for a limited period in a non-hospital situation
- undertaking the administrative procedures and documentation for casualties in field units, medical reception stations and unit medical centres, including those required for and during casualty
Class 3 and 2 Standards
- Trained in anatomy, physiology and first aid.
- Has a general understanding of medical terminology and is capable of carrying out first aid in an emergency situation until expert medical assistance is available.
- Works under supervision to provide assistance to Medical Officers in field units and medical reception stations.
- Assists in setting up field medical units and is trained in medical fieldcraft including the use of radio equipment, navigation by foot or vehicle across country and field medical equipment.
- Capable of carrying out basic nursing procedures.
- Initiates and maintains casualty documentation and supply/equipment documentation.
- Recognises abnormalities in casualty observations, body appearances and consciousness levels.
- Trained in Basic Life Support (BLS) to UK Resuscitation Council guidelines
- Trained in Army environmental health issues at unit level.
Class 1 Standard
- As for Class 2 and 3, but with additional training and experience. (see below)
- Provides health advice to non medical junior commanders.
- Has a good understanding of anatomy and physiology.
- Is able to take control of an emergency situation.
- Is trained in basic diagnostic techniques and able to report findings to medical services.
- Advises on basic field hygiene.
- Capable of advanced first aid and using advanced resuscitation techniques.
- Administers non-controlled drugs ordered by a Medical Officer.
- Administers drugs by oral route, inhalations, plus intradermal-, intramuscular- and subcutaneous injection
- Sutures simple wounds
- Maintains, or supervises the maintenance of, and indents for medical equipment
- Trains junior medical assistants
Additionally, at Class 1 the CMT is trained in the procedures and principles of Battlefield Advanced Trauma Life Support (BATLS), which includes Advanced Life Support, Cricothyrotomy and Thoracentesis.
Further Progression by Rank
- At the rank of Corporal, the Combat Medical Technician also supervises and controls medical assistants working in medical unit departments, such as medical section 2 i/c in a close support (CS) medical regiment.
- At the rank of Sergeant or Staff Sergeant, the Combat Medical Technician takes charge of a department, accounting for equipment and carrying out the administrative duties for soldiers within the department.medical section commander in a close support (CS) medical regiment or a role 2 medical treatment facility within a general support (GS) medical regiment.
- At the rank of Warrant Officer, the Combat Medical Technician supervises a number of departments, and maintains discipline and morale within those departments, providing for the efficiency and effectiveness of the unit.
See also
- Royal Army Medical Corps
- Medical Assistant (Royal Navy)
- Battlefield medicine
- Military medicine
- Medic
- Combat medic
- Flight medic
- Ambulance#Military use
- Michelle Norris
References
- Army Form B6360 Rev 10/99
- British Army Site
External links
- Army Medic Home Page
- Corpsman.com, A Site run by Doc's for Doc's, of all US Military Services.
- 4626 (Aeromedical Evacuation) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force
- Virtual Naval Hospital - a digital library of military medicine and humanitarian medicine
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, March 02, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.