Emergency Medical Technology - EMT 115

Course Description

The Basic Emergency Medical Technician course is a 264.5 hour Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of EMS, Trauma and Preparedness approved course that provides the information and experience necessary to prepare the student to take the National Registry Basic EMT Certification Exam. Students learn the role and responsibilities of an emergency medical technician in providing emergency care. Content areas are covered in lectures, practical skills practiced in a laboratory setting along with observations and experience that will be gained in a clinical and/or internship setting.

Prerequisites

(A requirement that must be completed before taking this course.)

Course Competencies

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• Explore various aspects of pre-hospital emergency care including the emergency medical system, roles and responsibilities of the EMT-B, quality improvement along with direct and in-direct medical direction.
• Assess the emotional aspects of emergency care, stress management, introduction to critical incident stress debriefing (CISD), scene safety, body substance isolation (BSI) and personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Apply human anatomy and physiology along with basic understanding of how the pathophysiology and disease process will affect patient outcomes in the pre-hospital setting. The student will also gain a better understanding of medical abbreviations and/or terms as related to emergency medicine.
• Assess a patient by recording baseline vital signs along with being able to conduct a thorough SAMPLE history.
• Apply proper body mechanics, lifting and carrying techniques, principles of moving patients and an overview of patient transfer equipment.
• Analyze how to open a patient's airway, pulmonary resuscitation, variations for infants and children and patients with laryngectomies.
• Analyze a scene for potential hazards, determine by the number of patients if additional resources are necessary along with evaluating mechanism of injury (MOI) or the nature of the illness.
• Perform the initial patient assessment. Emphasis will be placed on forming a general impression, evaluation of the airway, breathing and circulatory status along with determining the patient's priority status.
• Assess a patient with traumatic injuries. At the end of this section, the student will be able to effectively perform both a rapid and focused - trauma assessment based on the mechanism of injury and/or patient's chief complaint.
• Assess, identify, and prioritize a patient with acute onset medical complaints. Along with this, the student will also develop a basic level knowledge of disease pathophysiology along with being able to identify common signs and symptoms associated with various medical emergencies.
• Perform a detailed physical examination on a patient with medical and/or trauma related illness/injury as applicable.
• Identify trends in their patient's condition. Along with this, the student will develop the ability to continually monitor and reassess pre-hospital care interventions.
• Examine a communications system, radio communications, communication with medical direction, verbal communication, and interpersonal communication along with on-going quality improvement.
• Apply various components of a written report, special considerations regarding patient refusal, the legal implications of the report along with special reporting situations.
• Examine populations specifically related to geriatrics, pediatric along with focusing on special needs as encountered in the pre-hospital emergency setting.
• Analyze pharmacology and administration of emergency medication along with learning how to assist patient's with self-administration of prescribed meds.
• Assess respiratory emergencies related to illness, disease and/or trauma related complications to gain a more in depth understanding of respiratory anatomy and physiology as related to disease and pre-hospital care.
• Analyze cardiovascular related emergencies and care including CPR/AED, assessment of chest pain, CHF to properly assess and administer nitroglycerine.
• Examine 3 lead ECG placement, monitor usage along with helping integrating airway control and chest compressions during a cardiac arrest.
• Assess a patient with altered mental status along with identifying the signs and symptoms related to cerebral vascular accident (CVA), transient ischemic attack (TIA), diabetes mellitus, seizures along with proper field diagnosis and pre-hospital care.
• Identify a patient suffering from an allergic reaction along with learning how to assess and administer emergency pre-hospital epinephrine auto-injector.
• Analyze the signs and symptoms related to poisoning and/or overdose.
• Identify signs and symptoms related to heat and/or cold exposure and emergency medical care for these conditions.
• Explain an awareness of behavioral related emergencies along with the pre-hospital treatment and handling of the emotionally and/or mentally disturbed patient.
• . Examine physiological changes that occur during pregnancy.
• Identify signs and symptoms related to "acute abdomen" along with implementing the proper assessment priorities and field treatment.
• Examine the assessment priority and proper field treatment of patients suffering from central nervous system related disorder including: cerebral vascular accident (CVA), transient ischemic attack (TIA) and seizure disorder.
• Identify the different signs and/or symptoms related to: Hypovolemic, neurogenic, cardiogenic, psychogenic, septic, and anaphylactic shock.
• Identify soft tissue injury including burns.
• Analyze the pathophysiology of shock and its relationship to patient care.
• Identify signs and/or symptoms as they relate to musculoskeletal injury.
• Analyze spinal injuries, including pediatric and geriatric considerations, the use of a c-collar, backboard, short board (KED).
• Analyze the proper methods of immobilizing and transporting patients , including pediatric and geriatric considerations, with suspected spinal injury.
• Examine common medical and trauma related emergencies along with proper assessment and/or field treatment that is required for this patient population.
• Identify trauma related injury and its affect on the outcome of a patient with a history of multi-organ diseases.
• Examine the EMT's role in the pre-hospital environment.
• Summarize an overview of rescue operations.
• Examine the scope of practice, ethical responsibilities, DNR legislation, consent, refusals, abandonment, negligence, duty to act, confidentiality and special situations such as organ donors and crime scenes.

Course Schedule