# EMT-B class turnout converting to NR cert.



## milhouse (Jan 23, 2008)

Ok so i took my EMT-B class last Jan there was a total of about 17 students who started in the class. well towards the end of the class only about 10 students remained, and out of those 10 only 5 of us were able to go and take there practical. only 4 were able to move on to take there NR exam. i was one of those 4. i have since taken my exam and passed. but im the only one that has taken it and passed it. now a friend of mine that was in the class didnt make it to the practical but retook the class and is now cert. 

anyways my question is, is this a normal thing for class's and turnout vs cert., because that is a sad sad # of students to get cert. (me being the only one.) I dont think anyone is gonna take there exam because our practical will expire sometime in april/may.


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## NJWhacker (Jan 24, 2008)

I cant tell right now that 40% of my class isnt gonna to pass let alone make it to the test and practical let alone the NR test.


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## Ridryder911 (Jan 24, 2008)

What is disappointing that it is a very basic course and from that most cannot pass that. 

I usually expect at the least a 40% wash-out in basic classes. Usually most find out that EMT is not really what they expected nor they have good study habits. 

Then in reality.. that is good. There are an over abundance of EMT's at this time and most that even pass the certifications do not ever go into EMS nor re-register. This allows the market to be somewhat more marketable and those that have an interest to be able to perform at that level. 

R/r 911


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## milhouse (Jan 24, 2008)

i dont believe it was a instructor problem because he normally has great pass rates this last year in his medic class he had 6/6 students pass the NR the first time and all 6 that enrolled in the class passed the class. 

the only thing that is a shame is that he has since had to take a different job and no longer teaches paramedic (atleast that this time) class's and i would love to have him as an instructor for medic.

about what you said how people find out that its not what they thought it to be well 2 people dropped the first day of class one because he had a job in law enforcement and he felt it would interfere with his job.


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## Ridryder911 (Jan 24, 2008)

I don't blame instructors for "wash out". I actually encourage and wished more would do so. In fact, I wished it was where instructors had to have at least a 70 % pass rate on the boards. By doing so, one would see a higher fail rate, instructors knowing those that finished the class would have a high predictability of passing the cert/boards. We would definitely see a very higher fail rate during the course.

There is no reason of ever "passing" or allowing a student to proceed if an instructor is quite aware they will never pass the certification examination. These classes are not currently designed to teach "what to do at home" .. (although most know my personal opinion) and by doing so only discourages the student more as well displaces time and attention to those that will succeed from the course.


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## milhouse (Jan 24, 2008)

well in our class you had to have a 75% or better and maintain that level to do your clinical time to do your extrication training your practical and to also pass the class. i know some of the reason why the other students didnt make it was because of that reason. which i had the highest score in the class anyways.


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## seanm028 (Jan 24, 2008)

I think the time you take it can be a big thing, too.  I took my class over the summer, and probably 90% of the students were there to get their cert in order to be eligible for the upcoming fire department test.  Out of 28, one person stopped showing up after the first week, one guy got sick in the middle and dropped the first class, and one other guy quit the day before practicals (which he probably wouldn't have passed, anyway).  I'd say that's pretty good.


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## Alexakat (Jan 25, 2008)

I took my EMT class in Florida where, at the time, the state test *was* the NR test.  Before taking the NR exam, we had to pass a 6-station practical.  Only 2 people in a class of 45 didn't pass the NR.  

Do the majority of people really find the NR that difficult?  I'm a little shocked when I hear discussion about it (here & around the squad as well).


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## MikeTheBlade (Jan 25, 2008)

thast nothing, my class had 42 people at the start,

and only 14 passed the final,


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## milhouse (Jan 25, 2008)

well i will admit that i was a little worried about taking the NR exam but no more worried about taking any other exam because i had heard from other people that it was easy except from one person that says he passed it and that it was hard but he never can show a cert for it. hmmm i wonder lol.

but i feel that the test was pretty easy. it had a lot more practical skill related scenario like you arrive on scene for a 50 YO man w/chest pain. which that was pretty easy. 

i just dont understand why i was the only one that out of almost 20 students i was the only one who went on and got certified.


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## Katie (Jan 25, 2008)

we only had 14 that finished the course.  of that only 2 teams passed the practical.  but the parallel class had only 5 take the test and most of them did not pass.  some will be going for retest though, but i'm not sure of final numbers on that.


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## EMTMandy (Jan 25, 2008)

Ridryder911 said:


> I don't blame instructors for "wash out". I actually encourage and wished more would do so. In fact, I wished it was where instructors had to have at least a 70 % pass rate on the boards. By doing so, one would see a higher fail rate, instructors knowing those that finished the class would have a high predictability of passing the cert/boards. We would definitely see a very higher fail rate during the course.
> 
> There is no reason of ever "passing" or allowing a student to proceed if an instructor is quite aware they will never pass the certification examination. These classes are not currently designed to teach "what to do at home" .. (although most know my personal opinion) and by doing so only discourages the student more as well displaces time and attention to those that will succeed from the course.



I am really proud of my school...roughly 36 out of 40 graduated from my academy (EMT-B ) and we had to have at least an 81% on all of our boards (written and practical) to pass them.  Very picky people,,WITH GOOD REASON!!,, who exceeded the standards seemily exponentially.   Can't wait for medic school in the fall.


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## mcvey7218 (Jan 25, 2008)

We started out with 9 students in Basic.  Of these 9, only 4 passed and made it to Intermediate.  Of these 4, only 3 made it to practicals.  Of these 3, I am the only one who has taken the written NR exam.  Very high drop out/fail rate, but in my opinion, if you cannot make it within the classroom setting, then you do not need to be on a truck with the responsibility of taking care of someone's life.


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## firecoins (Jan 26, 2008)

12 started. 5 sat for the NY state test. 4 passed.  None of us took the NR.  

I am in a medic class now.  32 started in Sept.  We have 26 now.  3 failed and 3 withdrew.  We start cardiology next week.


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## milhouse (Jan 26, 2008)

well heres another thing to add to the list that ive done or should say will do. i just got employed "PRN" at AET (arkansas emergency transport) im just waiting on my driving check with there insurance company which that shouldnt be a problem so out of that class im the gonna be the only one to move on to working in EMS.


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## Ridryder911 (Jan 26, 2008)

milhouse said:


> well heres another thing to add to the list that ive done or should say will do. i just got employed "PRN" at AET (arkansas emergency transport) im just waiting on my driving check with there insurance company which that shouldnt be a problem so out of that class im the gonna be the only one to move on to working in EMS.



Good luck in your new job!

R/r 911


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