EMT Training
For Emergency Medical Technicians, EMT training is an ongoing process. The initial EMT course is important in order to lay a solid foundation throughout the EMT’s career. Whether the EMT is Basic, Intermediate, or Paramedic, they each must go through an initial training period in order to receive their certification. This initial EMT training ranges in length from a couple of months (for an EMT-Basic) up to two years (for an EMT-Paramedic). Upon completion of the initial training, every EMT must take the NREMT (National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians) Exam. Once these requirements are complete, then the EMT is certified.
EMT’s however, are lifelong learners. EMT training is not complete when they turn in their Exam. EMT’s are constantly training on the job, through continuing education, and in training to become the next level of EMT. EMT-B’s and EMT-I’s generally work under the supervision of a lead Paramedic. They learn a lot of techniques from Paramedics, who are advance EMT’s. Their skills must be utilized because EMT skills are perishable, and therefore must be retrained regularly.
EMT’s may be interested in taking more certification courses to broaden their skill set and possibly boost their salary. This EMT training is also perfect for those EMT’s who strive to become EMT-Paramedic’s. One course is Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS). PHTLS teaches trauma patient management. It focuses on the treatment of the multi-system trauma patient. It builds upon the basics that the EMT learned in their initial training.
Another popular and useful course is Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). This course teaches the EMT pediatric emergency management. The EMT is trained in areas such as pediatric respiratory management, infant and child CPR, and defibrillation. Another similar course is Emergency Pediatric Care (EPC). EPC is broader in scope and covers a variety of scenarios. There are many other advanced EMT training courses available.
EMT’s are also required to complete a certain number of continuing education hours for each certification period, which is currently every two years. EMT’s are currently required to take 72 hours continuing education every two years. The EMT training must be across various skill sets such as trauma, airway, cardiovascular, and patient assessment. The Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services (CECBEMS) is the nationally accrediting body for EMS continuing education. Before taking a continuing education course, be sure that it will cover the area(s) that you need and that it will be accepted by CECBEMS. The links below will help you find more about EMT training.
http://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/brochuresRecertification.asp
http://www.cecbems.org/Default.aspx
