Introduction to Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

1. Introduction to Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

2. In the state of Massachusetts there are four levels of emergency care providers: • First Responder • Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) – Basic • EMT – Intermediate • EMT - Paramedic

3. First Responder • CPR trained at the health care professional level • Required minimum training for all police and firefighters in Massachusetts • Usually the first on the scene in an emergency • Trained to treat life-threatening emergencies with a minimum amount of equipment

4. EMT - Basic • All of the skills of the first responder plus: • Trained in the use and operation of the ambulance • Certified to administer oxygen, glucose, epinephrine and some other medications at the on-line or off-line direction of the closest emergency department’s lead physician • Called the “medical control” physician

5. EMT - Intermediate • All of the skills of the EMT-Basic plus: • Capable of starting an intravenous line and infusing volume-replacing normal saline • Trained to place an endotracheal tube in a patient’s windpipe to create a secure means of ventilating the lungs

6. EMT - Paramedic • All of the skills of the EMT-Intermediate plus: • Administration of intravenous medications for cardiac, diabetic and other medical conditions under either off-line or on-line direction • Many other optional and advanced skills such as chest decompression and needle crichothyrotomy, etc.

7. Basic or Advanced? • Basic life support called BLS describes the care given by First Responders and EMT-Basics • Advanced life support, called ALS, is the higher level of care performed by EMT-Intermediates and Paramedics • Permitted to perform invasive procedures • Procedures that introduce foreign substances or equipment into the patient’s body

8. Training • The EMS provider is legally prohibited from performing skills that are beyond his or her level of training • Each group of skills requires the proper certification • The length of time required for learning the advanced skills is considerable

9. First Responder Training • Prerequisite: Health Care Professional level CPR • 8 hours • 24-hour class • Three-year certification period • Certification is maintained with a refresher course • 12 hours

10. EMT Basic Training • Prerequisite: Health Care Professional level CPR • 8 hours • 110-hour class plus • Five patient contacts • State certification application and fee • $150.00 • Two-year certification period • 24-hour refresher course • 28 hours of continuing education • $150.00 recertification fee

11. EMT Intermediate Training • Prerequisite: Health Care Professional level CPR • 8 hours • 180-hour class plus • 100 hours of clinical observations and skills • 30 i.v. starts • 10 intubations • 100 hours of field observations and skills • 10 i.v. starts • 1 intubation

12. EMT Intermediate Training • State certification application and fee • $150.00 • State administered exam • Minimum passing grade: 70% • Two-year certification period • 24-hour refresher course • 28 hours of continuing education • $150.00 recertification fee

13. EMT Paramedic Training • Prerequisite: Health Care Professional level CPR & EMT-B certification • X contact hours as an EMT-B • 400-hour class plus • 200 hours of clinical observations and skills • 60 i.v. starts • 10 intubations • 200 hours of field observations and skills • 30 i.v. starts • 1 intubation

14. EMT Paramedic Training • State certification application and fee • $150.00 • State administered exam • Minimum passing grade: 70% • Two-year certification period • 24-hour refresher course • 28 hours of continuing education • $150.00 recertification fee

15. How Far Do You Want to Go? • HCP CPR • Written and practical tests • Minimum passing grade 84% • Unlimited repeat attempts are allowed • First Responder • Written and practical tests • Minimum passing grade 80% • Unlimited repeat attempts are allowed

16. How Far Do You Want to Go? • EMT Basic • EMT-B is no longer part of the regular curriculum • Apply to take the summer course • Classes held at Mohawk • Evenings and alternate Saturdays from June – Aug. • Free to qualified Mohawk students

17. Mohawk Evening Class • Do you want to become an EMT?

18. What is Involved? • Lectures & written tests • Called the didactic portion • Subjects are similar to the first responder curriculum but everything is covered in more depth

20. What is Involved? • Practical skills demonstrations

24. What do the participants say?

25. The choice is up to you • Applications are available • Ask me for more information