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Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certificate Program
The Department's EMT certificate program prepares students for careers in pre-hospital
emergency medicine and enables graduates of the program to work as emergency medical
technicians (EMT's) in a variety of settings, such as fire departments and public
and private ambulance services. The program can be completed in one semester. Other
information pertinent to this program is described below.
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Accreditation
The EMT and Advanced EMT certificate programs are accredited by the Alabama Department
of Public Health, Office of EMS and Trauma. The Department's Paramedic program is
accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
(CAAHEP) and the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions
(CoEMSP).
Mandatory Advising
All students admitted into the Department's EMS Certificate Program must be advised by the EMS Coordinator prior to registration. You may contact the Department at the phone number listed below to set up an appointment
for advising. Click here for Advising Packet.
Admission
The criteria for general admission of EMT students to the University are the same as those for all students. Please consult with the University's Admission's office for more information about admission policies and procedures.
Curriculum
The basis for the curriculum is the current Department of Transportation's (DOT) National
Standard curriculum for EMT (2009).
Pre-requisite
American Heart Association - Healthcare Provider CPR certification.
EMT Certificate Program
| EMS 112: EMT Emergency Care | 6 |
| EMS 113: EMT Skills Lab | 1 |
| EMS 115: EMT Clinicals | 1 |
| Total | 8 |
Progression and Completion Policies
To progress throughout the program, a minimum final grade of 80% must be achieved
in each course. Students will be allowed to repeat a course only one time. Students
unable to satisfactorily complete EMS 112, 113 and 115 will not receive a completion
certificate by the department or the University.
The State of Alabama mandates the National Registry of EMT's examination at both
the EMT, Advanced EMT and Paramedic levels of practice. Only those students who have
met all academic requirements of the program will be eligible to sit for the National
Registry examination. All other criteria for progression and completion will be listed
in each course syllabus and will be mandatory.
Attendance
Attendance is mandatory. Those students who have conflicts regarding attendance to
classes or clinical internships will be asked to transfer to programs more suited
to their schedules.
Expenses
Students are responsible for payment of all tuition and fees. Tuition and fees are
set by the University of South Alabama, upon approval of the Board of Trustees. For
current information on tuition and fees, please refer to the University's Admission's office.
Students are responsible for all personal healthcare expenses, including those resulting
from injury or illness, while engaged in learning experiences required by the department.
Students will be required to show proof of health insurance or a signed waiver while
in the program. Students must show proof of all required immunizations.
Students are responsible for all travel expenses to and from clinical and field internship
sites. Students are responsible for the purchase of uniforms and required clinical
equipment and supplies for their internships. Students also must maintain current
Healthcare Provider (CPR) certification throughout the program of study.
Financial Aid
Students who take academic coursework at the University for the purpose of attaining
paramedic certificate or Bachelor of Science degree in EMS may be eligible for financial
assistance (i.e., Pell grant, student loans, etc.). For more information on financial
aid, please contact the University’s Financial Aid office.
Contact Information
University of South Alabama
Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions
Department of Emergency Medical Services
600 Clinic Drive – Suite 400
Mobile, AL 36688-0002
(251) 461-1832
EMT Program Advisor
Kristin McKenna
kmckenna@southalabama.edu
Description of the Profession
The Emergency Medical Technician's scope of practice includes basic skills focused
on the acute management and transportation of critical and emergent patients. This
may occur at an emergency scene until transportation resources arrive, from an emergency
scene to a healthcare facility, between healthcare facilities, or in other healthcare
settings.
In many communities Emergency Medical Technicians provide a large portion of the out-of-hospital
care. In some jurisdictions, especially rural areas, Emergency Medical Technicians
provide the highest level of out-of-hospital care. Emergency Medical Technicians work
alongside other EMS and healthcare professionals as an integral part of the emergency
care team.
Emergency Medical Technicians' scope of practice includes basic, non-invasive interventions
to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with acute out-of-hospital medical
and traumatic emergencies.
Emergency care is based on assessment findings.
Additionally, Emergency Medical Technicians provide care to minimize secondary injury
and provide comfort to the patient and family while transporting the patient to an
emergency care facility.
An Emergency Medical Technician's knowledge, skills, and abilities are acquired through
formal education and clinical experiences. The Emergency Medical Technician has the
knowledge of, and is expected to be competent in, all of the skills of the EMR1. A major difference between the Emergency Medical Responder and the Emergency Medical
Technician is the knowledge and skills necessary to provide medical transportation
of emergency patients.
The Emergency Medical Technician level is the minimum licensure level for personnel
transporting patients in ambulances. The scope of practice is limited to basic skills
that are effective and can be performed safely in an out-of-hospital setting with
medical oversight and limited education.
The Emergency Medical Technician transports all emergency patients to an appropriate
medical facility. The Emergency Medical Technician is not prepared to make decisions
independently regarding the appropriate disposition of patients. The Emergency Medical
Technician serves as part of an EMS response system, assuring a progressive increase
in the level of assessment and care. The Emergency Medical Technician may make destination
decisions in collaboration with medical oversight. The principal disposition of the
patient encounter will result in the direct delivery of the patient to an acute care
facility.
In addition to emergency response, Emergency Medical Technicians often perform medical
transport services of patients requiring care within their scope of practice.
EMT Psychomotor Skills
The following are the minimum psychomotor skills of the EMT:
- Airway and Breathing
- Insertion of airway adjuncts intended to go into the oropharynx or nasopharynx
- Use of positive pressure ventilation devices such as manually triggered ventilators and automatic transport ventilators
- Pharmacological Interventions
- Assist patients in taking their own prescribed medications
- Administration of the following over-the-counter medications with appropriate medical oversight:
- Oral glucose for suspected hypoglycemia
- Aspirin for chest pain of suspected ischemic origin
- Trauma Care
- Application and inflation of the pneumatic anti-shock garment (PASG) for fracture stabilization2
Footnotes:
1The Emergency Medical Responder Course IS NOT a prerequisite for EMT education. It
is designed to train traditional first responders, such as police officers and non-EMT
firefighters, to provide efficient and effective medical care to the sick and injured
until the arrival of EMT personnel. The course is available through the University
in two forms, both of which meet certification standards of the National Registry
of Emergency Medical Technicians. For academic credit the course is available as a
3-hour class, EMS 110 Emergency Medical Responder. An identical model is available
through the Alabama Gulf EMS System (EMS Region 6) for non-credit enrollment and may
also be available off campus (i.e., within the seven counties represented by AGEMSS
at the site of need). Alabama has the capacity to license Emergency Medical Responders
who have completed an approved course and have successfully passed the Emergency Medical
Responder examination of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
2EMT Description is excerpted from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's
National Scope of Practice document, pages 25-26.