a few questions

[thatgirl00]

hi I am new...my name is Jenni

Hey all, I am interested in taking the EMT-BASIC course that is starting Jan 12. I am just wondering a few things.

Basically, I just want to know what I can expect from the basic course, like what all do you do? Do you give shots to people and other students give you shots? Do you take other students blood and get your blood drawn by other students? Do you lift people out of the car as if they're a patient, or is all this stuff in the intermediate classes? Is the basic class a hands on class, or is it more just watching videos and written tests?

It's gonna cost me a looot of money to take the class out of state...otherwise, I have to wait until August to take it in my town, and I really don't want to wait that long. Now... failing won't be an option for me, but let's say one passes the class, but fails the final exam/written test? Do you have to retake the class before you can take the test again, or can you just re-test?

and did anyone do an accelerated class? like an 18 days program? and would you recommend it, or taking your time with the 4-5 months program? i appreciate your help.

 

[FF-EMT Diver]

First off welcome to the site, Where are you from?,

Yes you will do hands on and classroom as far as I.Vs I really dont about basics

Are you reffering to your school final or state/NREMT?

I would definetly go for the longer class.

 

[thatgirl00]

First off welcome to the site, Where are you from?,

Yes you will do hands on and classroom as far as I.Vs I really dont about basics

Are you reffering to your school final or state/NREMT?

I would definetly go for the longer class.

Hey, I am in NC.

I was referring to the school final

Thanks for your advice

 

[FF-EMT Diver]

You're welcome.

Usually the school final is that pass or fail, My instruc. was the type if you made it thru his class you could pass the final.

 

[thatgirl00]

Oh thanks~ I guess it varies huh? Well anyway, I will finder out sooner or later (hopefully sooner.. )

 

[FF-EMT Diver]

Good luck and stick around there will be more coming along to help you as well.

 

[JPINFV]

The scope of practice for EMT-Bs is limited to what are essentially non-invasive interventions/assessments and advanced first aid. In general, EMT-Bs do not deal with shots, IVs (outside of assisting paramedics prepare an IV which does not involve sharps), or blood draws. The notable exception is that most areas allow EMT-Bs to "assist" with a patient's autoinjector (aka, EpiPen).

EMT-Bs are trained to perform a basic assessment, administer oxygen, oral glucose, and activated charcoal, assist with a patient's prescribed autoinjector, nitroglycerin, meter dose inhaler, provide basic trauma treatment (splinting, bleeding control), provide mechanical ventilation through the use of a bag-valve mask, and use basic basic airway management tools such as using suction to clear an airway and using basic airway adjuncts such as an oropharyngeal airway. In addition, EMT-Bs are trained in child delivery.

In the United States, the National Highway Safety Administration has laid out a minimum training for EMT-Bs and recommended training for EMT-Intermediates (known as the EMT-I99 with an older curriculum used to train EMT-I85s) and EMT-Paramedics known as the National Standard Curriculum. Based off of this, the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians have developed certification requirements as well as a certification exam that is widely used as either a part of state certification, or essentially as state certification (for example, California uses the EMT-B exam as its certification exam. To become certified in Orange County, CA [CA certification are based on county], one needs to be NREMT certified, pass a background check, and pass a physical exam). States are free to modify their education requirements, add or subtract levels, or change their provider's scope of practice as each state sees fit.

 

[thatgirl00]

THANKS for answering guys ! im pretty sure this is what i wanna do.. Im excited and scared all at once. but anyway, thanks again

 

[tatersalad]

I'm starting EMT-B January 6 in NC, so I'll be taking the trip kinda with you. There is a wealth of information available here, just make sure you use the 'Search' function to see if your question has been answered before

 

[EMTinNEPA]

hi I am new...my name is Jenni

Hey all, I am interested in taking the EMT-BASIC course that is starting Jan 12. I am just wondering a few things.

Basically, I just want to know what I can expect from the basic course, like what all do you do? Do you give shots to people and other students give you shots? Do you take other students blood and get your blood drawn by other students? Do you lift people out of the car as if they're a patient, or is all this stuff in the intermediate classes? Is the basic class a hands on class, or is it more just watching videos and written tests?

It's gonna cost me a looot of money to take the class out of state...otherwise, I have to wait until August to take it in my town, and I really don't want to wait that long. Now... failing won't be an option for me, but let's say one passes the class, but fails the final exam/written test? Do you have to retake the class before you can take the test again, or can you just re-test?

and did anyone do an accelerated class? like an 18 days program? and would you recommend it, or taking your time with the 4-5 months program? i appreciate your help.

IV therapy is an ALS skill, meaning it is done by EMT-Paramedics. I know EMT-Bs who CAN start an IV, but they technically shouldn't because it's beyond their scope of practice.

As for pulling people out of cars, it depends. Do you plan to get your EMT-B to run on an ambulance? Or are you a firefighter getting your EMT-B to help with your qualifications as a crewmember on a Rescue? If the former, 99.9% no. If the latter, most of the time.

The EMT-B class is BOTH hands-on practical and lectures/videos/written tests. Same goes for ALL EMS programs I've ever heard of.

I don't know how it works in your state, but here in Pennsylvania, if you pass the class but fail the state exam, you have one year to retest and pass. If you don't pass within a year, then you have to retake the class. Check with your state's DOH.

There are EMT "boot camps" that can get you your certification in two weeks, but I wouldn't recommend it. You need time to let the knowledge and the skills sink in. An accelerated program doesn't allow this.

Hope this helped! ^_^

- Dan, EMT-B

 

[FF-EMT Diver]

IV therapy is an ALS skill, meaning it is done by EMT-Paramedics. I know EMT-Bs who CAN start an IV, but they technically shouldn't because it's beyond their scope of practice.

There is some states that allow Bs who are trained in IV therapy to be able to do it.

As for pulling people out of cars, it depends. Do you plan to get your EMT-B to run on an ambulance? Or are you a firefighter getting your EMT-B to help with your qualifications as a crewmember on a Rescue? If the former, 99.9% no. If the latter, most of the time.

That depends on your locale here we do extrication and Pt. care.
By no means am I endorsing this because I think it's crazy but in some areas that is the way it's done.

 

[jrm818]

Safe extrication is part of good patient care. That's the responsibility of the medical personnel on scene - the EMT's/Medics. Rescue may have to cut up the car, but ultimately control of the pt. relies with the ones responsible for pt. care.

Assuming no hazards or entrapment, the ambulance types should be the ones extricating, it seems to me. Even if there is entrapment, the ambulance personnel should be the ultimate authority in terms of how to handle the pt.

 

[JPINFV]

I know EMT-Bs who CAN start an IV, but they technically shouldn't because it's beyond their scope of practice.

Are you prepared to speak on the scope of practice for EMT-Bs in all 50 states?

 

[FF-EMT Diver]

jrm, you are right I was saying that I dont think it's feasible for Ems to do both extrication and Pt. care one or the other goes lacking be it Pt. care because you cant do two things at once or your extrication time is extended thus impacting your "golden hour" dramatically,

Realistically I think extrication should be left to the FD and Pt. care to Ems and Ems would of course oversee the extrication to assure that it went in their best interest.

 

[reaper]

jrm, you are right I was saying that I dont think it's feasible for Ems to do both extrication and Pt. care one or the other goes lacking be it Pt. care because you cant do two things at once or your extrication time is extended thus impacting your "golden hour" dramatically,

Let's no start on that myth again!

Realistically I think extrication should be left to the FD and Pt. care to Ems and Ems would of course oversee the extrication to assure that it went in their best interest.

There are still quit a few EMS agencies that do their own extrication. I don't like it much, I will let the FD have their fun. But, there are ones that need to do it, as the FD's are not trained in it.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

Are you prepared to speak on the scope of practice for EMT-Bs in all 50 states?

No. Did I ever claim I was?

 

[EMTinNEPA]

the ambulance personnel should be the ultimate authority in terms of how to handle the pt.

Yes, I agree. But being the ultimate authority in terms of handle the patient doesn't mean that you and your partner are necessarily the ones physically lifting the patient out of the car, which is what she was asking about.

 

[JPINFV]

No. Did I ever claim I was?

By stating as an absolute that IVs are out of the scope of practice for EMT-Bs you were.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

By stating as an absolute that IVs are out of the scope of practice for EMT-Bs you were.

As an EMT-B, yes they are out of the scope of practice. If there are states that allowed EMT-Bs to be trained in IV therapy, then sure, they can initiate IV therapy. But then again, they're not just an EMT-B. They're an EMT-B who is trained in IV therapy. So in a way, I'm still right. Isn't semantics fun?

 

[JPINFV]

Who are you to say that an EMT-B who operates in a system that allows them to start IV therapy is not an EMT-B? Are systems that allow EMT-Bs to acquire and transmit 12 lead ECGs not EMT-Bs? How about systems that allow EMT-Bs to use advanced airways? Use non-prescribed autoinjectors?

How about the reverse? Are EMT-Bs who operate in states with a more restrictive scope of practice (e.g. no activated charcoal) somehow less of an EMT-B? This is a message board. It uses the typed word to convey thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Semantics, phrasing, and word choice are not minor considerations.