CATALOG: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Career Studies Certificate

Length: 12 credits

Purpose

To produce competent entry-level Emergen­cy Medical Technicians (EMTs) who can serve the community with basic life support care via the Virginia Emergency Medical Services (EMS) infrastructure. Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible for National Registry testing resulting in National Registry certification as well as certification in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Employment opportunities for EMTs are available with ambulance services, fire and rescue services, hospitals, local, state and feder­al government agencies, and humanitarian relief organizations.

Program Goals

At the completion of the program the gradu­ates will be able to demonstrate:

  • the ability to comprehend, apply, and eval­uate the clinical information relevant to their roles as entry-level EMT; technical proficiency in all skills necessary to fulfill the role of en­try-level EMT; and
  • Personal behaviors consistent with profes­sional and employer expectations for en­try-level EMT. Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

Prior to beginning program courses, appli­cants must:

  • meet eligibility requirements as stipulated by the Virginia Office of EMS;
  • meet the college’s general admission require­ments and enroll as a RCC college student;
  • complete all developmental coursework;
  • meet with the program head; and,
  • complete the program application.

Accreditation

The Basic Life Support (BLS) program is ac­credited by the Commonwealth of Virginia De­partment of Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services and Division of Educational Develop­ment. The EMT is considered a BLS provider.

Program Requirements

Physical Requirements

An EMS provider is faced with many physical and psychological challenges. Please refer to the Office of Emergency Medical Services website for a more detailed functional job description.

Academic Requirements

Students must make a “C” or better in all pro­gram core courses and general education sup­port courses, as well as maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to remain in the program. Any student receiving a grade less than “C” in a curricular course will be placed on academic probation for the program. The course may be repeated once, with a written contract containing the require­ments of the remediation. Repeated courses must be completed with a final grade of “C” or better. Dismissal from the program may result if the student does not meet the requirements of the contract.

Clinical and Behavioral Requirements and supervised student experiences are required by the program and will be accomplished at select­ed regional healthcare facilities. Students are responsible for transportation to these facilities, as well as to any scheduled field trips. Program preceptors will observe and evaluate student suitability for the profession across all domains of learning. If students do not exhibit the docu­mented behaviors required of the EMS profes­sional, they may be asked to withdraw from the program. All EMS students must comply with healthcare agency requirements for criminal background checks, drug testing, CPR certifica­tion and immunizations.

Other Requirements

Applicants accepted to the program are required to submit a health certificate signed by a licensed physician, physician’s assistant or Licensed Nurse Practitioner attesting to the applicant’s general health and ability to perform the activities of the program. Students who are re­quired to perform clinical rotations in cooperating healthcare agencies must be willing and able to conform to all clinical requirements of participat­ing clinical agencies, including but not limited to: criminal background investigation; drug screen­ing; immunizations including seasonal influenza vaccines; Tuberculosis screening; employment verifications; and, successful completion of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certifica­tion. (CPR certification must be the American Heart Association Certification for Healthcare Providers). Students are responsible for all costs associated with these requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain current records throughout the program. RCC uses a third party vendor for all screenings and for maintenance of documents. Your instructor will provide you with all details to purchase this service, including deadlines for completion

The purchase of items such as uniforms, liability insurance and other accessories is the financial responsibility of the individual student.

Curriculum

 
First Semester
Course # Title Lecture Lab Credit
EMS 100 CPR for HealthCare Providers* 1 0 1
EMS 111 Emergency Medical Technician1 5 4 7
EMS 120 Emergency Medical Technician- Basic Clinical 0 2 1
BIO 145 Human Anatomy and Physiology for the Health Sciences 2 3 1 4
Total 9 7 13
Total Minimum Credits: 13 *Valid CPR card may be presented in lieu of class 1 EMS 112 and EMS 113 may be substituted. 2 NAS 150 or BIO 141 and BIO 142 may be substituted

Last modified on 08-30-2019