Provides an overview of preparatory EMS systems, injury prevention, medical, legal, and ethical issues as well as general patient assessment before progressing through advanced assessment in the areas of respiratory and neurologic conditions. Reviews life span development and public health for EMS. Course ends by focusing on pathophysiology as it relates to various body systems/functions in the presence of disease or injury.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
- Preparatory
- Pathophysiology
- Life Span Development
- Public Health
- Medicine
- Clinical Judgment/Behavior
- Shock & Resuscitation
- Differentiate proper from improper body mechanics for lifting and moving patients in emergency and non-emergency situations. (Clinical Judgment)
- Differentiate between normal/healthy and detrimental physiological reactions to anxiety and stress. (Preparatory)
- Describe EMS systems, licensure, certification, registration, profession, professionalism, health-care professional, ethics, peer review, medical direction, and protocols. (Preparatory)
- Identify the role of EMS in local municipal & community prevention programs. (Public Health)
- Describe the incidence, morbidity and mortality, and the human environmental and socioeconomic impact of alleged unintentional injuries. (Life Span Development)
- Analyze the relationship between the law and ethics in EMS. (Preparatory)
- Given several narrative circumstances, recommend a treatment plan in keeping with the ethical principles associated with EMS. (Clinical Judgment; Preparatory)
- Distinguish between ethical and moral decisions in EMS. (Preparatory)
- Analyze disease risk in situations where the presence of contaminants poses a risk to the personnel, environment, patient, general public, or equipment. (Public Health)
- Describe the cellular environment and factors that precipitate disease in the human body. (Pathophysiology; Medicine)
- Explain multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (Pathophysiology)
- Describe neuroendocrine regulation (Pathophysiology)
- Explain the inflammation response and its systemic manifestations.(Pathophysiology)
- Discuss the interrelationships between stress, coping, and illness. (Medicine; Preparatory)
- Evaluate and develop a management plan for a patient in cardiogenic, hypovolemic, neurogenic, anaphylactic, and septic shock.(Clinical Judgment; Shock)
Assessment and Requirements
The entire Paramedic Program is a performance-based curriculum. All students completing each level of course-work will be required to pass both the applicable “performance” applications as well as a comprehensive topic exam.
There is a scheduled Mid-Term and Final written exam with discretionary quizzes throughout the program.
All course participants must be able to physically complete tasks associated with the performance-based assessments. All areas of final assessment, whether written and/or practical, must meet minimal competencies of 80% or better following testing criterion.
Instructors (or their designees) reserve the right to require students to provide picture identification for test taking, graded papers or projects or other appropriate purposes.