# Tennessee EMT Certification



## lascassas_camper (Jul 23, 2009)

Ok here goes, 

I'm a TN certified First Responder, whats the easiest/best way to get my EMT Certification? Is their any state that allows online training (except for practicals of course) or a way to test out?

The City Fire Department I work for in TN trained us all as Certified First Responders. Unfortunately they do not allow us time off from work or in most cases the vacation time available (too many off, etc) want allow us to complete the classes available.

We run all the EMS calls within the city limits and wait until the county EMS arrives for transport to the city hospital.

Alot of us would like to become EMT certified, but the county EMS controls who goes through and the price of the classes (seems kinda like a conflict of interest, huh?)


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## 8jimi8 (Jul 23, 2009)

trainingdivision.com

about $1000.00 plus your book.  Also, when you come to TD for your skills and clinicals you will have to rent a hotel, or drive down in a truck and camp in the bed of it.  It works out if you have a few of your fire buddies to share a room with.

All told the classroom is 6 days of skills and a final and then you have to work 24 on an ambulance and 2 12s at the ER.  I finished my clinical rotations in 3 days, since i was in school, i skipped christmas with the family, and got it done between semesters.


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## MMiz (Jul 23, 2009)

lascassas_camper said:


> Ok here goes,
> 
> I'm a TN certified First Responder, whats the easiest/best way to get my EMT Certification? Is their any state that allows online training (except for practicals of course) or a way to test out?
> 
> ...


First, welcome to EMTLife!

As far as I'm aware, there are no entirely online EMT-Basic programs.  You'll need to find a way to fit school into your schedule.  If there are enough of you that want to go through the program at the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if a local community college set up a class around your schedule.

Middle Tennessee State University has both a Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday program.  Volunteer State Community College also offers an EMT-Basic program.

Right now I'm working on going back to school for a few years to get my Masters degree.  It doesn't really fit my schedule, it's a lot of work, and a lot of money, but if I want to be the best in my profession I realize the importance of making school a priority.  Thankfully EMT-Basic school is only a semester.

Good luck, and I hope that helps!


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## 8jimi8 (Jul 23, 2009)

MMiz said:


> First, welcome to EMTLife!
> 
> As far as I'm aware, there are no entirely online EMT-Basic programs.  You'll need to find a way to fit school into your schedule.  If there are enough of you that want to go through the program at the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if a local community college set up a class around your schedule.
> 
> ...




The program that I listed above your post is entirely online (except for skills and clinicals which can be completed in less than 2 weeks).


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## MMiz (Jul 23, 2009)

You said:


> The program that I listed above your post is entirely online (except for skills and clinicals which can be completed in less than 2 weeks).



I originally said:


> As far as I'm aware, *there are no entirely online EMT-Basic programs*



If a member had two weeks they could do the Unitek program in just over two weeks and call it a day.  Again, as far as I'm aware, there are no entirely online EMT-Basic programs.


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## Shishkabob (Jul 23, 2009)

Trainingdivision is literally 1 mile from my house.

If you end up going that route, Crowley is VERY close to all the major attractions in the DFW metroplex.


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## rmellish (Jul 23, 2009)

Pelham Training in Bloomington, Indiana is great for the two week wonder course. Enjoy having to reteach everything to yourself that you never truly learned the first time they rushed through it though.


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## medic417 (Jul 23, 2009)

Online EMT all the way to Paramedic

www.techproservices.net

www.percomonline.com


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## lascassas_camper (Jul 26, 2009)

*Emtinc or emsacademy*

Has anyone attended www.emtinc.net in Indiana or www.emsacademy.com in Georgia?


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## whatw14578 (Jul 26, 2009)

lascassas_camper said:


> Has anyone attended www.emtinc.net in Indiana or www.emsacademy.com in Georgia?



went to emtince for my basic about 2 and a half years ago. great school. they really work with you and help you learn


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## lascassas_camper (Jul 26, 2009)

*Pass rate*

Do you know the pass rate for the 2 week school in Indiana and the cost? I didn't see it on the web site?


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## rmellish (Jul 27, 2009)

cost is about 1100 not including room and board. 

No idea on the pass rate. The Basic exam is very straightforward, and they teach it to the test, so I'd guess close to 100 percent.


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## whatw14578 (Jul 28, 2009)

pass rate is about 98% they really cram it in you so you'll know your stuff. i remember i had a problem with the airway chapter, they kept me for an extra 3 hours till i had it inside and out


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## lascassas_camper (Aug 12, 2009)

*Florida*

I'm signing up for the class in Indiana for the Fall. Here in TN its a 9 month course for EMT. The EMS Board and Murfreesboro EMS have tight leash on the classes, I guess if I were getting $1600.00 a person and no one else could tech the classes....I would want to keep it that way too.


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## Sasha (Aug 12, 2009)

lascassas_camper said:


> Do you know the pass rate for the 2 week school in Indiana and the cost? I didn't see it on the web site?



Why not bite the bullet and take a real class? It's not so much passing the test but LEARNING the material. You can memorize and pass the test but not really understand what you are doing or what you are learning.


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## lascassas_camper (Aug 12, 2009)

*learning*

Well, the city I work for already trained us at the EMT level and we're running as First Responders. And we have weekly training by our staff Paramedics, but do to the agreement with the county EMS...we can't ask for state certification through our department. (They are scared we will take them over, which we will sooner or later).


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## apagea99 (Aug 12, 2009)

For TN you will also need the IV therapy portion of the course. I just finished the MTSU class in June and I highly recommend it.

Can you trade shifts with others in your department so you can make it to class? We had a few Murfreesboro FFs in the 2 classes and they helped each other by swapping shifts and such.

Good luck to you!


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## lascassas_camper (Aug 12, 2009)

*class*

Nah, I'm not wasting my time swapping shifts. Plus we've heard the Attorney Generals office is about to investigate if theres a conflict of interest going on.


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## Porky1 (Aug 12, 2009)

Be careful of going out of TN to take a course including online. You will have to go the reciprocity route which means the course you took has to be approved. Reciprocity is not easy in TN and if the Indiana course doesn't have IV you will have to get it before you can be licensed in TN.
Cleveland State CC in TN has online with lab on campus. Don't where you live but that might be an option for you.
Hope that helps.


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## lascassas_camper (Aug 12, 2009)

*yep*

I already checked with the state EMS Board, and have it in writing. TN does except any state EMT license as long as you get the IV part signed off on and you Nat Reg. Have it in writing.


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## Porky1 (Aug 12, 2009)

Good job of researching. I'm certainly not trying to throw a wrench in the works or argue just know that some people went into N.C., Kentucky and Ark. and had a devil of a time trying to get their state license. Supposedly those were national registry courses. 
Just didn't want you to spend a lot of money and find out it was in vain.


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## Bluestar (Aug 13, 2009)

I know a couple guys from East TN who got there medic in NC and it took them 3-4 months to get their TN license. TTU in Cookeville has a good EMT Program. I dont think it is 1600 dollars either. Theres also one in Overton County every year 15 mins north of cookeville. I was thinking it was about 1000 dollars for it. Vol State in Gallatin has a good program too.


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## VentMedic (Aug 13, 2009)

lascassas_camper said:


> TN does except any state EMT license as long as you get the *IV part signed off* on and you Nat Reg. Have it in writing.


 
Where are you going to get the IV part and some practice with that? Do you have a place in TN to get it signed off? Most states do not allow EMT-Bs to do IVs or if they do it is additional training. It probably will not be part of a 2 week crash EMT-B course.


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## Bluestar (Aug 13, 2009)

Usually you have to search for a IV course. However they are getting rarer and rarer to find. Most have converted over. Usually if you talk to a TN EMT instructor they will let you sit in for the IV class days and do some sticks and sign you off that way. Just depends on who does it.


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## VentMedic (Aug 13, 2009)

Bluestar said:


> Usually you have to search for a IV course. However they are getting rarer and rarer to find. Most have converted over. Usually if you talk to a TN EMT instructor they will let you sit in for the IV class days and do some sticks and sign you off that way. Just depends on who does it.


 
It would have to be an official enrollment for insurance to cover an invasive procedure.  Any instructor caught doing this without paperwork should probably not teach again.


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## Bluestar (Aug 13, 2009)

They keep the IV portion separate from EMt course...its separate but combined if you know what i mean. Usually the last 2 months of class is devoted to IV. They usually let them just take that part and not have to take the hole class. Ive seen a few do this. It was authorized by their local EMS Consultant too.


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## Porky1 (Aug 13, 2009)

At our program, which is at Cookeville, we don't allow anyone to sit for just the IV portion for the reasons that Ventmedic stated. It can be done but has great potential for problems and it disrupts the class when new people come in. Our IV part is spread throughout the course with just the stick part done toward the end but the concepts are throughout. That would be confusing to anyone attending at the end. Just my thoughts and didn't want to digress on this thread from the original question but wanted to clear up some statements so there is no misunderstanding how it is done in TN.


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## Bluestar (Aug 13, 2009)

I have never heard it being done in Cookeville...i have just heard of people doing it that way in other parts of TN.


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## Porky1 (Aug 13, 2009)

If you just got out of the paramedic program you have been seeing me for the last 11 months.


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## Bluestar (Aug 13, 2009)

Yea...i just figured it out...lol
i be seeing you tommorrow night too


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## Bluestar (Aug 13, 2009)

Did not know you were on this sight. I been using this place for years..just lost my old login information. Picked up alot of good info. off of here.


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## Bluestar (Aug 13, 2009)

Do you miss me yet? lol


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## Flight-LP (Aug 13, 2009)

lascassas_camper said:


> Well, the city I work for already trained us at the EMT level and we're running as First Responders. And we have weekly training by our staff Paramedics, but do to the agreement with the county EMS...we can't ask for state certification through our department. (They are scared we will take them over, which we will sooner or later).
> 
> 
> Nah, I'm not wasting my time swapping shifts. Plus we've heard the Attorney Generals office is about to investigate if theres a conflict of interest going on.



If the department that trained you cannot ask for State certification, then who exactly are you certified through currently as a first responder????

Your lack of basic EMS operational knowledge tells me that your department did a poor job of training you to the EMT level. Add to that you inflexibility and unwilling attitude to go and actually learn the proper way tells me why the county doesn't want to send you to EMT school. If the others in your department are similar, I think your comment of taking over EMS may not be as much of a reality as you think.

Do it right or don't waste your time doing it at all.


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## apkt (Sep 17, 2009)

*Definitive answer on IV training?*

Does anyone have a hard answer on providers of standalone IV training in Tennessee?

I am a National Registry EMT currently in California but looking in to moving to Nashville.

Obviously I'd like to avoid sitting for an entire EMT-IV (EMT-B+IV) course if possible.

I sincerely appreciate any answers as I can't dig anything up on-line.

-Ryan


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## Porky1 (Sep 24, 2009)

Your looking for a course called extended skills. I can help if you want to _*<mod edit>*pm me*</mod edit>*_.


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## apkt (Sep 24, 2009)

*Thanks!*

Porky -

Thanks for all your help offline.

Info for those of you also looking to come to TN - the class is called Extended Skills and closest offering is at Volunteer State in Gallatin.


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## medic417 (Sep 24, 2009)

Bluestar said:


> Did not know you were on this sight. I been using this place for years..just lost my old login information. Picked up alot of good info. off of here.



They are not on this *sight* they are on this *site*.


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