Length: 24 credits
Purpose: This program is designed for the student interested in pursuing a career as an Emergency Medical Technician to work in a variety of health service facilities and/or desires to advance in EMS educational pathways by pursuing advanced EMS certifications.
Employment Objectives: Employment opportunities for the Emergency Medical Technician include pre-hospital EMS/medical transport agencies, hospital emergency departments, and volunteer agencies.
Potential Certification: After successful completion of the Emergency Medical Technician course, student will be eligible to sit for the National Registry Emergency Medical Technician certification exam. After successful completion of CPR, students will be certified from American Heart Association as a BLS Provider. A student who resides outside of Virginia and plans to apply for certification as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) subsequent to completion of this education program may not meet the requirements for certification in the state of residence.
Curricular Requirements: Clinical/field/preceptor experiences require access to contracted clinical agencies.
Program Learning Outcomes: The student will be able to:
- demonstrate ability to apply knowledge and skill required to practice as an Emergency Medical Technician; and
- master clinical skill competencies.
Functional Abilities required for the program include:
The student must be able to:
• verbally communicate in person, via telephone and telecommunications using the English language;
• hear spoken information from co-workers, patients, physicians and dispatchers and in sounds common to the emergency scene;
• ability to lift, carry, balance up to 125 pounds (250 with assistance);
• ability to interpret and respond to written, oral, and diagnostic form instructions;
• read road maps, drive vehicle, accurately discern street signs and address numbers;
• read medication/ prescription labels and directions for usage in quick, accurate, and expedient manner;
• communicate verbally with patients and significant others in diverse cultural and age groups to interview patient, family members, and bystanders;
• discern deviations/changes in eye/skin coloration due to patient’s condition and to the treatment given;
• document, in writing, all relevant information in prescribed format in light of legal ramifications of such;
• perform with good manual dexterity all tasks related to advanced emergency patient care and documentation;
• bend, stoop, balance, and crawl on uneven terrain;
• withstand varied environmental conditions such as extreme heat, cold, and moisture.
Students must provide proof of all required immunizations as mandated by clinical & field agencies.
After admission to the EMT CSC Education program, the prospective student is provided with an EMS Physical Examination form that must be completed by a physician prior to enrolling in the clinical & field internship classes. Students must provide proof of all required immunizations as mandated by clinical & field agencies.
Upon admission, all students are required to undergo mandatory drug screening. Students must have a negative drug screen in order to begin the clinical & field internship classes. Drug screens may be repeated after program acceptance to comply with clinical & field agency requirements.
Please NOTE that any prospective EMS student with a criminal conviction needs to speak with the EMS Program Director prior to enrollment at P&HCC. Certain convictions will prevent the person from being certified as an Emergency Medical Services Provider in Virginia. Students must produce a satisfactory criminal background check to the standards of all clinical agencies used by the college for experiential learning prior to enrolling in the EMS program. Background checks may have to be repeated to comply with clinical and field agency requirements.
Advanced Placement: Current credentialed Virginia EMT providers may be eligible for advanced placement.
Curriculum Requirements: In addition to formal lectures and laboratory exercises, selected experiences within driving distance of the college will be scheduled at day, evening and/or weekend times, depending on the availability of facilities. EMT students will be required to successfully pass cognitive and psychomotor examinations at various points in the curriculum in order to continue in the program. Students who are unsuccessful will be counseled and guided in a specified number of remediation efforts. Upon successful completion of remedial requirements and passing the appropriate examinations, students may continue in the program. To remain in the program, a student must have a “C” or above in all required EMS courses.
Financial Requirements: In addition to the usual college tuition and fees, this program requires additional expenses.
Approximate costs include:
| Drug screening |
$38 minimum |
| Criminal background check |
$48 minimum |
|
| Books |
$250 |
|
| Uniforms |
$50 |
|
| Physical examination |
$100 |
|
| Platinum Planner |
$30 |
|
| EMS Testing |
$49 |
|
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