EMS5601 EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN I COURSE PROCEDURE

EMS5601 EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN I  (EMT 1)

6 Credit Hours

Student Level:

This course is open to students on the college level in the freshman or sophomore year.

Catalog Description:

EMS5601 - Emergency Medical Technician I  (6 hrs)

The Emergency Medical Technician 1 (EMT 1) and EMT 2 courses are designed to be taken consecutively to provide students with an academic and working knowledge to become Kansas certified EMTs and to provide basic life support patient care. It provides the basic concepts of emergency care, which are needed to function as an EMT. Students must successfully complete the EMT 1 and EMT 2 courses in consecutive semesters to be eligible for state board certification. This class will be helpful for other health care fields and is a prerequisite for the Paramedic course.

Course Classification:

2 credit Lecture/4 credit Lab

Prerequisites:

Student must meet or exceed minimum reading score of 224 according to the ACCUPLACER Next Gen Reading test or ACT Reading score of 16 or higher; Associate degree or higher required to waive the reading test.

High school vocational students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 and be at least 16 years old.

At the start of the course, each student will be required to have a background check completed.

Controlling Purpose:

The Emergency Medical Technician 1 (EMT 1) and EMT 2 courses are designed to be taken consecutively to provide students with an academic and working knowledge to become Kansas certified and to provide basic life support patient care. It provides the basic concepts of emergency care, which are needed to function as an EMT. Students must successfully complete the EMT 1 and EMT 2 courses in consecutive semesters to be eligible for state board certification. This class will be helpful for other health care fields and is a prerequisite for the Paramedic course.

Learner Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, the student will develop competencies in the language of emergency medical care.  The student will be able to perform a patient assessment and deliver basic patient care based on the findings.  Students will be able to deliver basic life support care procedures, including CPR, immobilization, extrication, automated external defibrillation (AED), assist with medication administration, basic airway care and wound care.

Unit  Outcomes for  Criterion Based Evaluation:

The following defines the minimum core content not including the final examination period. Instructors may add other content as time allows.

UNIT 1: Basic EMS Care

Outcomes: The student will gain an understanding of the issues that surround basic life support care. The student will demonstrate the ability to:

• Define Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems.
• Differentiate the roles and responsibilities of the EMT from other prehospital care providers.
• Describe the roles and responsibilities related to personal safety.
• Discuss the roles and responsibilities of the EMT towards the safety of the crew, the patient and bystanders.
• Define quality improvement and discuss the EMT’s role in the process.
• Define medical direction and discuss the EMT’s role in the process.
• State the specific statutes and regulations in your state regarding the EMS system.
• Assess areas of personal attitude and conduct of the EMT.
• Characterize the various methods used to access the EMS system in your community.
• List possible emotional reactions that the EMT may experience when faced with trauma, illness, death and dying.
• Discuss the possible reactions that a family member may exhibit when confronted with death and dying.
• State the steps in the EMT’s approach to the family confronted with death and dying.
• State the possible reactions that the family of the EMT may exhibit due to their outside involvement in EMS.
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of critical incident stress.
• State possible steps that the EMT may take to help reduce/alleviate stress.
• Explain the need to determine scene safety.
• Discuss the importance of body substance isolation (BSI).
• Describe the steps the EMT should take for personal protection from airborne and bloodborne pathogens.
• List the personal protective equipment necessary for each of the following situations:

- Hazardous materials

- Rescue operations

- Violent scenes

- Crime scenes

- Exposure to bloodborne pathogens

- Exposure to airborne pathogens

• Explain the rationale for serving as an advocate for the use of appropriate protective equipment.
• Given a scenario with potential infectious exposure, the EMT will use appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Define the EMT scope of practice.
• Discuss the importance of Do Not Resuscitate [DNR] (advance directives) and local or state provisions regarding EMS application.
• Define consent and discuss the methods of obtaining consent.
• Differentiate between expressed and implied consent.
• Explain the role of consent of minors in providing care.
• Discuss the implications for the EMT in patient refusal of transport.
• Discuss the issues of abandonment, negligence, and battery and their implications to the EMT.
• State the conditions necessary for the EMT to have a duty to act.
• Explain the importance, necessity and legality of patient confidentiality.
• Discuss the considerations of the EMT in issues of organ retrieval.
• Differentiate the actions that an EMT should take to assist in the preservation of a crime scene.
• State the conditions that require an EMT to notify local law enforcement officials.
• Explain the role of EMS and the EMT regarding patients with DNR orders.
• Explain the rationale for the needs, benefits and usage of advance directives.
• Explain the rationale for the concept of varying degrees of DNR.
• Identify the following topographic terms: medial, lateral, proximal, distal, superior, inferior, anterior, posterior, midline, right and left, mid-clavicular, bilateral, mid-axillary.
• Describe the anatomy and function of the following major body systems:  Respiratory, circulatory, musculoskeletal, nervous and endocrine.
• Identify the components of the extended vital signs.
• Describe the methods to obtain a breathing rate.
• Identify the attributes that should be obtained when assessing breathing.
• Differentiate between shallow, labored and noisy breathing.
• Describe the methods to obtain a pulse rate.
• Identify the information obtained when assessing a patient’s pulse.
• Differentiate between a strong, weak, regular and irregular pulse.
• Describe the methods to assess the skin color, temperature, condition (capillary refill in infants and children).
• Identify the normal and abnormal skin colors.
• Differentiate between pale, blue, red and yellow skin color.
• Identify the normal and abnormal skin temperature.
• Differentiate between hot, cool and cold skin temperature.
• Identify normal and abnormal skin conditions.
• Identify normal and abnormal capillary refill in infants and children.
• Describe the methods to assess the pupils.
• Identify normal and abnormal pupil size.
• Differentiate between dilated and constricted pupil size.
• Differentiate between reactive and non‑reactive pupils and equal and unequal pupils.
• Describe the methods to assess blood pressure.
• Define systolic pressure.
• Define diastolic pressure.
• Explain the difference between auscultation and palpation for obtaining a blood pressure.
• Identify the components of the SAMPLE history.
• Differentiate between a sign and a symptom.
• State the importance of accurately reporting and recording the baseline vital signs.
• Discuss the need to search for additional medical identification.
• Explain the value of performing the baseline vital signs.
• Recognize and respond to the feelings patients experience during assessment.
• Defend the need for obtaining and recording an accurate set of vital signs.
• Explain the rationale of recording additional sets of vital signs.
• Explain the importance of obtaining a SAMPLE history.
• Demonstrate the skills involved in assessment of breathing.
• Demonstrate the skills associated with obtaining a pulse.
• Demonstrate the skills associated with assessing the skin color, temperature, condition, and capillary refill in infants and children.
• Demonstrate the skills associated with assessing the pupils.
• Demonstrate the skills associated with obtaining blood pressure.
• Demonstrate the skills that should be used to obtain information from the patient, family, or bystanders at the scene.
• Define body mechanics.
• Discuss the guidelines and safety precautions that need to be followed when lifting a patient.
• Describe the safe lifting of cots and stretchers.
• Describe the guidelines and safety precautions for carrying patients and/or equipment.
• Discuss one-handed carrying techniques.
• Describe correct and safe carrying procedures on stairs.
• State the guidelines for reaching and their application.
• Describe correct reaching for log rolls.
• State the guidelines for pushing and pulling.
• Discuss the general considerations of moving patients.
• State three situations that may require the use of an emergency move.
• Explain the rationale for properly lifting and moving patients.
• Use techniques for the transfer of a patient from an ambulance stretcher to a hospital stretcher.
• Working with a partner, prepare each of the following devices for use, transfer a patient to the device, properly position the patient on the device, move the device to the ambulance and load the patient into the ambulance:

-Wheeled ambulance stretcher

-Portable ambulance stretcher

-Stair chair

-Scoop stretcher

-Long spine board

-Basket stretcher

-Flexible stretcher

UNIT 2: Airway

Outcomes: The student will gain an understanding of the anatomy of the airway and how to properly manage a patient’s airway.  The student will be able to:

• Name and label the major structures of the respiratory system on a diagram.
• List the signs of adequate breathing.
• List the signs of inadequate breathing.
• Describe the steps in performing the head-tilt chin-lift.
• Relate mechanism of injury to opening the airway.
• Describe the steps in performing the jaw thrust.
• State the importance of having a suction unit ready for immediate use when providing emergency care.
• Describe the techniques of suctioning.
• Describe how to artificially ventilate a patient with a pocket mask.
• Describe the steps in performing the skill of artificially ventilating a patient with a bag-valve-mask while using the jaw thrust.
• List the parts of a bag-valve-mask system.
• Describe the steps in performing the skill of artificially ventilating a patient with a bag-valve-mask for one and two rescuers.
• Describe the signs of adequate artificial ventilation using the bag‑valve-mask.
• Describe the signs of inadequate artificial ventilation using the bag‑valve-mask.
• Describe the steps in artificially ventilating a patient with a flow restricted, oxygen-powered ventilation device.
• List the steps in performing the actions taken when providing mouth‑to-mouth and mouth-to-stoma artificial ventilation.
• Describe how to measure and insert an oropharyngeal (oral) airway.
• Describe how to measure and insert a nasopharyngeal (nasal) airway.
• Define the components of an oxygen delivery system.
• Identify a nonrebreather face mask and state the oxygen flow requirements needed for its use.
• Describe the indications for using a nasal cannula versus a nonrebreather face mask.
• Identify a nasal cannula and state the flow requirements needed for its use.
• Explain the rationale for basic life support artificial ventilation and airway protective skills taking priority over most other basic life support skills.
• Explain the rationale for providing adequate oxygenation through high inspired oxygen concentrations to patients who, in the past, may have received low concentrations.
• Demonstrate the steps in performing the head-tilt chin-lift.
• Demonstrate the steps in performing the jaw thrust.
• Demonstrate the techniques of suctioning.
• Demonstrate the steps in providing mouth-to-mouth artificial ventilation with body substance isolation (barrier shields).
• Demonstrate how to use a pocket mask to artificially ventilate a patient.
• Demonstrate the assembly of a bag-valve-mask unit.
• Demonstrate the steps in performing the skill of artificially ventilating a patient with a bag-valve-mask for one and two rescuers.
• Demonstrate the steps in performing the skill of artificially ventilating a patient with a bag-valve-mask while using the jaw thrust.
• Demonstrate artificial ventilation of a patient with a flow restricted, oxygen-powered ventilation device.
• Demonstrate how to artificially ventilate a patient with a stoma.
• Demonstrate how to insert an oropharyngeal (oral) airway.
• Demonstrate how to insert a nasopharyngeal (nasal) airway.
• Demonstrate the correct operation of oxygen tanks and regulators.
• Demonstrate the use of a nonrebreather face mask and state the oxygen flow requirements needed for its use.
• Demonstrate the use of a nasal cannula and state the flow requirements needed for its use.
• Demonstrate how to artificially ventilate the infant and child patient.
• Demonstrate oxygen administration for the infant and child patient.

UNIT 3: Patient Assessment

Outcomes: The student will learn how to perform a patient assessment. The student will demonstrate the ability to:

• Recognize hazards/potential hazards.
• Describe common hazards found at the scene of a trauma and a medical patient.
• Determine if the scene is safe to enter.
• Discuss common mechanisms of injury/nature of illness.
• Discuss the reason for identifying the total number of patients at the scene.
• Explain the reason for identifying the need for additional help or assistance.
• Explain the rationale for crew members to evaluate scene safety prior to entering.
• Serve as a model for others explaining how patient situations affect your evaluation of mechanism of injury or illness.
• Observe various scenarios and identify potential hazards.
• Summarize the reasons for forming a general impression of the patient.
• Discuss methods of assessing altered mental status.
• Differentiate between assessing the altered mental status in the adult, child and infant patient.
• Discuss methods of assessing the airway in the adult, child and infant patient.
• State reasons for management of the cervical spine once the patient has been determined to be a trauma patient.
• Describe methods used for assessing if a patient is breathing.
• State what care should be provided to the adult, child and infant patient with adequate breathing.
• State what care should be provided to the adult, child and infant patient without adequate breathing.
• Differentiate between a patient with adequate and inadequate breathing.
• Distinguish between methods of assessing breathing in the adult, child and infant patient.
• Compare the methods of providing airway care to the adult, child and infant patient.
• Describe the methods used to obtain a pulse.
• Differentiate between obtaining a pulse in an adult, child and infant patient.
• Discuss the need for assessing the patient for external bleeding.
• Describe normal and abnormal findings when assessing skin color.
• Describe normal and abnormal findings when assessing skin temperature.
• Describe normal and abnormal findings when assessing skin condition.
• Describe normal and abnormal findings when assessing skin capillary refill in the infant and child patient.
• Explain the reason for prioritizing a patient for care and transport.
• Explain the importance of forming a general impression of the patient.
• Explain the value of performing an initial assessment.
• Demonstrate the techniques for assessing mental status.
• Demonstrate the techniques for assessing the airway.
• Demonstrate the techniques for assessing if the patient is breathing.
• Demonstrate the techniques for assessing if the patient has a pulse.
• Demonstrate the techniques for assessing the patient for external bleeding.
• Demonstrate the techniques for assessing the patient’s skin color, temperature, condition and capillary refill (infants and children only).
• Demonstrate the ability to prioritize patients.
• Discuss the reasons for reconsideration concerning the mechanism of injury.
• State the reasons for performing a rapid trauma assessment.
• Recite examples and explain why patients should receive a rapid trauma assessment.
• Describe the areas included in the rapid trauma assessment and discuss what should be evaluated.
• Differentiate when the rapid assessment may be altered in order to provide patient care.
• Discuss the reason for performing a focused history and physical exam.
• Recognize and respect the feelings that patients might experience during assessment.
• Demonstrate the rapid trauma assessment that should be used to assess a patient based on mechanism of injury.
• Describe the unique needs for assessing an individual with a specific chief complaint with no known prior history.
• Differentiate between the history and physical exam that is performed for responsive patients with no known prior history and patients responsive with a known prior history.
• Describe the unique needs for assessing an individual who is unresponsive or has an altered mental status.
• Differentiate between the assessment that is performed for a patient who is unresponsive or has an altered mental status and other medical patients requiring assessment.
• Attend to the feelings that these patients might be experiencing.
• Demonstrate the patient care skills that should be used to assist with a patient who is responsive with no known history.
• Demonstrate the patient care skills that should be used to assist with a patient who is unresponsive or has an altered metal status.
• Demonstrate the skills involved in performing the detailed physical exam.
• Demonstrate the skills involved in performing the on-going assessment.
• Discuss the components of the detailed physical exam.
• State the areas of the body that are evaluated during the detailed physical exam.
• Explain what additional care should be provided while performing the detailed physical exam.
• Distinguish between the detailed physical exam that is performed on a trauma patient and that of the medical patient.
• Explain the rationale for the feelings that these patients might be experiencing.
• Discuss the reasons for repeating the initial assessment as part of the on-going assessment.
• Describe the components of the on-going assessment.
• Describe trending of assessment components.
• Explain the value of performing an on-going assessment.
• Recognize and respect the feelings that patients might experience during assessment.
• Explain the value of trending assessment components to other health professionals who assume care of the patient.
• List the proper methods of initiating and terminating a radio call.
• State the proper sequence for delivery of patient information.
• Explain the importance of effective communication of patient information in the verbal report.
• Identify the essential components of the verbal report.
• Describe the attributes for increasing effectiveness and efficiency of verbal communications.
• State legal aspects to consider in verbal communication.
• Discuss the communication skills that should be used to interact with the patient.
• Discuss the communication skills that should be used to interact with the family, bystanders, individuals from other agencies while providing patient care and the difference between skills used to interact with the patient and those used to interact with others.
• List the correct radio procedures in the following phases of a typical call.
• Explain the rationale for providing efficient and effective radio communications and patient reports.
• Perform a simulated, organized, concise radio transmission.
• Perform an organized, concise patient report that would be given to the staff at a receiving facility.
• Perform a brief, organized report that would be given to an ALS provider arriving at an incident scene at which the EMT was already providing care.
• Explain the components of the written report and list the information that should be included on the written report.
• Identify the various sections of the written report.
• Describe what information is required in each section of the prehospital care report and how it should be entered.
• Define the special considerations concerning patient refusal.
• Describe the legal implications associated with the written report.
• Discuss all state and/or local record and reporting requirements.
• Explain the rationale for patient care documentation.
• Explain the rationale for the EMS system gathering data.
• Explain the rationale for using medical terminology correctly.
• Explain the rationale for using an accurate and synchronous clock so that information can be used in trending.
• Complete a prehospital care report.

UNIT 4: Operations

Outcomes: The student will gain an understanding of EMS operations. The student will demonstrate the ability to:

• Discuss the medical and non-medical equipment needed to respond to a call.
• List the phases of an ambulance call.
• Describe the general provisions of state laws relating to the operation of the ambulance.
• List contributing factors to unsafe driving conditions.
• Describe the considerations that should be given to escorts.
• Discuss “Due Regard For Safety of All Others” while operating an emergency vehicle.
• State what information is essential in order to respond to a call.
• Discuss various situations that may affect response to a call.
• Differentiate between the various methods of moving a patient to the unit based upon injury or illness.
• Apply the components of the essential patient information in a written report.
• Summarize the importance of preparing the unit for the next response.
• Identify what is essential for completion of a call.
• Distinguish among the terms cleaning, disinfection, high‑level disinfection, and sterilization.
• Describe how to clean or disinfect items following patient care.
• Explain the rationale for appropriate report of patient information.
• Explain the rationale for having the unit prepared to respond.
• Describe the purpose of extrication.
• Discuss the role of the EMT in extrication.
• Identify what equipment for personal safety is required for the EMT.
• Define the fundamental components of extrication.
• State the steps that should be taken to protect the patient during extrication.
• Evaluate various methods of gaining access to the patient.
• Distinguish between simple and complex access.
• Explain the EMT’s role during a call involving hazardous materials.
• Describe what the EMT should do if there is reason to believe that there is a hazard at the scene.
• Describe the actions that an EMT should take to ensure bystander safety.
• State the role the EMT should perform until appropriately trained personnel arrive at the scene of a hazardous materials situation.
• Break down the steps to approaching a hazardous situation.
• Discuss the various environmental hazards that affect EMS.
• Describe the criteria for a multiple‑casualty situation.
• Evaluate the role of the EMT in the multiple‑casualty situation.
• Summarize the components of basic triage.
• Define the role of the EMT in a disaster operation.
• Describe basic concepts of incident management.
• Explain the methods for preventing contamination of self, equipment and facilities.
• Review the local mass casualty incident plan.
• Given a scenario of a mass casualty incident, perform triage.

Projects Required:

As assigned.  A project may be required and will be explained by the instructor.

Textbook:

Contact Bookstore for current textbook.

Major Pieces of Machinery and Equipment Involved:

• Eye protection, gowns, gloves, masks and forms for reporting exposures.
• Anatomy models.
• Stethoscopes (dual and single head), blood pressure cuffs (adult, infant and child) and penlights.
• Wheeled stretcher, stair chair, scoop stretcher, flexible stretcher, ambulance, long and short backboards and bed.
• Pocket mask, bag-valve-mask, flow restricted, oxygen-powered ventilation device, oral airways, nasal airways, King airways, Combitube airways, LMA airways, suction units, suction catheters, oxygen tank, regulator, nonrebreather mask, nasal cannula, tongue blade and lubricant.
• Handheld inhaler suitable for training purposes and various spacer devices.
• CPR manikins, artificial ventilation manikins, automated external defibrillator, NTG training bottle and defibrillation manikin.
• Epinephrine auto-injector, epinephrine auto-injector trainer and synthetic skin mannequin for injection.
• Activated charcoal and suction equipment.
• Childbirth kit and OB mannequin.
• Sterile dressings, bandages, splints, triangular bandage, stick or rod, air splints, triage tags and blankets.
• Universal dressings, occlusive dressings, 4 x 4 gauze pads, self adherent bandages, roller bandages, burn sheets and sterile water or saline.
• Long spine boards, short spine immobilization devices, cervical immobilization devices, helmet, head immobilization devices, blanket rolls and two inch tape.

Attendance Policy:

Students should adhere to the attendance policy outlined by the instructor in the course syllabus.

Grading Policy:

The grading policy will be outlined by the instructor in the course syllabus.

Maximum class size:

Based on classroom occupancy

Course Timeframe:

The U.S. Department of Education, Higher Learning Commission and the Kansas Board of Regents define credit hour and have specific regulations that the college must follow when developing, teaching and assessing the educational aspects of the college. A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit or an equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. The number of semester hours of credit allowed for each distance education or blended hybrid courses shall be assigned by the college based on the amount of time needed to achieve the same course outcomes in a purely face-to-face format.

Refer to the following policies:

402.00 Academic Code of Conduct

263.00 Student Appeal of Course Grades

403.00 Student Code of Conduct

Disability Services Program: 

Cowley College, in recognition of state and federal laws, will accommodate a student with a documented disability.  If a student has a disability which may impact work in this class and which requires accommodations, contact the Disability Services Coordinator.

DISCLAIMER: THIS INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. FOR THE OFFICIAL COURSE PROCEDURE CONTACT ACADEMIC AFFAIRS.