# For anyone wondering what the heck an OEC Technician is…



## PNWMedic (Aug 20, 2008)

For anyone wondering what the heck an OEC Technician is…

Well in a nutshell, for EMT’s it’s in a large part yet another acronym to add to your name. What it is, is a emergency medicine course, led by the NSP National Ski Patrol, and is primarily oriented to Ski Patrol candidates, but from what I have heard is open to other folks.

The reason for my posting this on here, is recently I decided that I would like to join the local Volunteer Ski Patrol, for when I’m not teaching on weekends (I have been a professional ski instructor for the past 6 years), and I have to take the course, and had never heard of it before. Actually, I don’t have to take the entire course; I’m taking a “course challenge” which is just a few selected classes that focus on specific Ski Patrol procedures, and then the exams and practicals to show that I know the stuff, as I am already an EMT-B and WEMT.

Anyways the course itself is pretty much a nationally accepted outdoors emergency medicine course; like an EMT-B course, but outdoors oriented, and then you can call yourself a OEC (Outdoors Emergency Care) Technician. So far other then some outdoors/wilderness procedures and differences, it’s pretty much the same as an EMT-B course, but doesn’t seem as though it’s completely up to par with the EMT-B curriculum, and in my opinion the OEC is a few steps above a FR/WFR, or a step bellow urban EMT-B, or quite a few steps bellow WEMT. 

For an already EMT-B it is really repetitive, and pretty much a refresher, and I have to admit, it’s kind of annoying that even though I already have a current AHA CPR/AED for the professional healthcare provider card, I still have to go to a AHA CPR/AED refresher to join the NSP. And the $200 in books, are for the most part nearly the same as my EMT-B book.

So all in all, it has been pretty easy, as I already know nearly all of the stuff so far, but a good refersher and the same seems to apply to another EMT-B in my class and an RN in my class; but the rest of the folks aside from a few folks have little or no EMS education, so they are learning a bunch of new stuff. So all in all I just thought I would post a little information about what the course is, and my on going review of what it’s like so far for anyone that is interested.


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## mycrofft (Aug 20, 2008)

*Your otherpost had me wondering*

Sounds like a good idea which may be overdiluted in the classroom by repeating what we learn over and over, and not enough training to allow to improvise, adapt, and succeed, to steal a phrase and file off the numbers, because that's risky and curriculum committees steer away from "risky". 
I liked Breyfogle's book on the subject.
BTW, what are we doing up at this hour?


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## PNWMedic (Aug 20, 2008)

Well I completly understand the course; and the justification of having me take the tests and attend a few of the ski-patrol specific classes, I don't have any problem with that, I just think the CPR/AED refresher (even though I got my new card 3 months ago) is a little redundant, and the whole thing about a million and one different certifications is crazy, I kind of wish there was some type of one agency national standard for emergency care; like imagine the NREMT that would offer nationally regognized certifications for urban, marine, wilderness etc. certifications.

Like for example, outside of the Ski Patrol, say I apply for a wilderness medic, I can list i have an OEC Certification, but the thing is I already have a Wilderness EMT certification, which is a higher level of training then an OEC technician. Of which I got before the OEC, but still have to get my OEC which is a lower level of training. Although on the other side, I guess my Resume will be full of 3 and 4 letter acronyms.


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## reaper (Aug 21, 2008)

Why not spend the time going to medic school? Then you won't need all the other certs!


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## PNWMedic (Aug 21, 2008)

lol well I would still need this cert to become a ski patroller, even docs need to take a challange just like EMT's in order to get this cert which is required to become a patroller. There's a doc and an rn in the class that are doing the same as me to become volunteer patrollers. Although I have given thought to the BSN then PA route, but right now, just staying an EMT/WEMT, and eventually go back for my paramedic.


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## mycrofft (Aug 21, 2008)

*I'm drawing from my hx in military training..*

Agreed you cannot let folks just slip in because they have a degree or a certificate in another medical field. You gotta go out there after the didactic with mentor(s) and do exercises, then the real thing. Nothing they tell you in class will prepare you for doing it at 10 degrees Farenheit on a fifty degree slope at 7,000 feet at night with your heart pounding in your ears...(gosh I'm getting excited here! or maybe just SOB). 
Yes, national standards! Exactly!


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## Oregon (Aug 21, 2008)

Are there several places that offer OEC cert.  like with WEMT?


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## PNWMedic (Aug 22, 2008)

Well I don't know too much about the OEC for folks that don't want to become patrollers. I recall hearing about some places offer the cert to non-patrollers. The course itself is not all ski/snowbaoard/snow sports related; its general EMT-B stuff, and then wilderness related medicine and winter wilderness/snow sports medicine. So to answer your question, it's run by the NSP National Ski Patrol, and there are courses each year run by Ski Patrol teams all over. So pretty much if there is a resort/mountain where folks go skiing/snowboarding, most likely they have a ski patrol, and you can check with them about taking the course and getting the cert, and most likely if you are already an EMT-B you can chose to just go to a few of the classes and take the tests rather then go to classes covering things you already know, It costs about $200.


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## PNWMedic (Aug 22, 2008)

My opinion if you don't want to be a patroller, go with a Wilderness EMT course instead of an OEC, as you will learn alot more. If you do want to become a patroller, then take the OEC, and the WEMT is still a good choice in addition. I really enjoyed and learned alot at my WEMT course where as the OEC has pretty much been just a refresher, mostly on the EMT-B side, with a smaller scope of practice.


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## flhtci01 (Sep 16, 2008)

Oregon said:


> Are there several places that offer OEC cert.  like with WEMT?



Most ski areas offer a class either near the ski area or close metropolitan area at various times during the year.  All classes are scheduled through the national office, contact them for a class or contact name near you. http://www.nsp.org/1/nsp/NSP_Educat..._Publications/OutdoorEmergencyCareProgram.asp


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## marineman (Sep 16, 2008)

WildEMT said:


> For anyone wondering what the heck an OEC
> 
> For an already EMT-B it is really repetitive, and pretty much a refresher, and I have to admit, it’s kind of annoying that even though I already have a current AHA CPR/AED for the professional healthcare provider card, I still have to go to a AHA CPR/AED refresher to join the NSP. And the $200 in books, are for the most part nearly the same as my EMT-B book.



Get used to the constant CPR refreshers if you plan to keep taking classes. My average since I got into the field as a first responder 5 years ago is refreshing CPR 3 times a year due to taking additional classes or our first responder group wanting everyone to be on the same cycle. Every EMS course I've ever taken has required a current CPR cert and 99% have still had a CPR refresher as part of the course. 

It may seem boring or annoying to refresh that often but I can't tell you how many people are still piss poor at performing CPR when it's time to go to work on a patient. CPR is like patient assessments, seems like a waste of time to pound on it as often as we do but it's an incredibly basic skill that is in general still not up to par across the board.


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## Short Bus (Sep 17, 2008)

Oooo, Oooo, (hand raised) I are one.  I got me one of them thar fancy OEC cards


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