# NREMT New Paramedic Practical-Pilot Study



## Ridryder911 (May 9, 2011)

I just attended a pilot study of a new proposed pilot program for Paramedic practical examination. I definitely liked it better than the current 12 step, memorized skills that are in use now. It is designed to test not only the skills but the _critical thinking _ aspects of the candidate. It is composed of life like scenarios, with multi-tasking and real life situations to evaluate and see and how the candidate performs. 

Again, this is only a pilot study and does not mean it will be ever be used or utilized or and if when. I hope they adopt it, as I see it a progress in our professionalism in testing and ensure safe, qualified applicants meet the minimal standards, which I think the current system is failing. Too much memorizing and not knowing on how to apply the skills is being performed (personal opinion).

R/r 911


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## Veneficus (May 9, 2011)

Don't be a tease.

Certainly you have some details you can share?


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## Ridryder911 (May 9, 2011)

I left you a message. I will not go into detail do to it being a pilot project and validity of the test. 

R/r 911


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## NomadicMedic (May 9, 2011)

Redacted.    ......


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## rhan101277 (May 10, 2011)

The oral stations do a good job with the critical skills.  It still needs to be more stringent.


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## JPINFV (May 10, 2011)

Do you know how it compares to COMLEX/USMLE Step 2: PE?


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## socalmedic (May 10, 2011)

any word on where to fund said attachment, or was it taken down for copyright reasons?


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## MrBrown (May 10, 2011)

So does your oral station ask (for example) "here is a piece of paper, draw me anaphylaxis from cellular mediators to systemic response" like ours does?

Brown suspects not but Brown is very pleased to here of this pilot and would be interested in seeing some details.

Perhaps now those 12 week wondermedics will have less chance of passing, which is good news for the people of Houston


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## rhan101277 (May 10, 2011)

MrBrown said:


> So does your oral station ask (for example) "here is a piece of paper, draw me anaphylaxis from cellular mediators to systemic response" like ours does?
> 
> Brown suspects not but Brown is very pleased to here of this pilot and would be interested in seeing some details.
> 
> Perhaps now those 12 week wondermedics will have less chance of passing, which is good news for the people of Houston



Wondermedics will go out the door soon as NREMT is requiring the schools to be accredited by CAAHEP.  That way know one can just throw together a rubbish class.

http://www.caahep.org/


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## Veneficus (May 10, 2011)

rhan101277 said:


> Wondermedics will go out the door soon as NREMT is requiring the schools to be accredited by CAAHEP.  That way know one can just throw together a rubbish class.
> 
> http://www.caahep.org/



I wish that were true.

There are a few work-a-rounds that have already been established.

The most notorious is to pay an *out of state community college* a few dollars to affiliate with them and to run the class as a "remote campus." In at least 2 instances I know of personally. A representative of the college hasn't even come to vist the medic mill. (I mean, distant campus.)

Obviously the same can be done for with more local colleges and universities.

Another trick is to register the paramedic program as part of a degree program including other classes, but only requiring the paramedic portion to be completed in order to submit for requirement completion.

Additionally, there is a major difference between what happens on paper and what happens in reality. 

Even under the current standards paramedics are taught "A&P" as part of the paramedic class. At a level that is absolutely laughable. 

I also encourge you look at some of the textbooks available for "prehospital" and "emergency" providers designed for the new curriculum. Publishers would certainly not front the cash for those projects if they were not going to get a return on the investment. 

NREMT I am afraid is just too impotent of an organization to demand the changes many of us are hoping for.

Change must come from providers. But for US EMS there is no such agency with the ability. NAEMT is hopelessly, for lack of a better word, infiltrated with the very providers whos more powerful lobbies are responsible for maintaining low standards.

Even some of the Chapter officers are IAFF officers. I don't think anyone is foolish enough to believe that a union firefighter would put the interests of the EMS profession above the interests of himself or his union.

How can anyone possibly believe that the reason NAEMT puts out such patheticly neutral statement and plans to do what it takes to push the bar?


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## sir.shocksalot (May 10, 2011)

I actually participated in the pilot program when I went through Paramedic school, I was at one of the testing sites for it. I have to say I wasn't a big fan of the new practical testing that the NREMT is using, it's too dependent on the performance of others on your team, and the logistics of the skills practice is a pain in the butt. I think with some simple logistical corrections and having your partners be EMTs instead of fellow students it might work a little better.

That all said I did feel better prepared to function as a medic when I graduated than some of the other new medics that I work with. Whether this is a result of the new pilot program, or the caliber of the program in general, I don't know. 

I used to be a big proponent of having an associates degree be the minimum for certification, but then I met a guy from washington (where an associates degree is required) and he was a moron. I think the way paramedic schools are taught needs to be changed along with entrance requirements. We should look at nursing schools for what is required for entry into paramedic school and then back that up with a rigorous paramedic coursework as opposed to "Monkey read the protocols, monkey learn to do all the things in the protocols, monkey eats a banana instead of learning why those things are done and cites protocol when asked to explain."


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## MrBrown (May 10, 2011)

CAAHEP/CoAEMSP is a joke, one of the 12 week wondermedic programs is accredited by the bloody CoAEMSP and you don't even have to be affiliated with a College/Uni now thanks to the IAFF for frig sake!

Our Bachelors Degree (ILS) basically borrowed the theoretical component of nursing and tweaked it for Paramedics.


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## DrankTheKoolaid (May 10, 2011)

*re*

Hopefully it's not the same handholding Kumbaya crap AHA is now trying for ACLS.  No, it should not be group testing because when your out in the field most likely there is nobody to help other then you and your partner.  Your partner and all the first responders can all be rookies with no experience what so ever and unable to give you any "hint" or suggestions.

It should be lone testing as the person either knows it or they do not.


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