EMT-B ... What do you learn?

Everett

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Forgive me but I did not see this type of thread in this forum, I did do a search by the way.

Hello, I just joined an ambulance squad and aside from all the other training I am recieving I just wanted to know the basics about what you learn as an EMT-B. I know that the type of education you recieve varies by state but as long as I know the bullet points I feel I will better prepared.

I live in New Jersey so if somebody could just give me a link or post the specifics I'd greatly appeciate it, thanks.
 
Can I just leave the answer to the question, "What did I learn?" as "not enough."
 
The EMT course is horribly short on information.
 
All EMT-B courses in the US are based on the same curriculum, developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
An overview can be found here:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/ems/pub/emtbnsc.pdf

EMS and EMS training are a bit different in NJ then anywhere else in the country in terms of system structure, and proiorities, but the education is the same. Info can he found here:
http://www.state.nj.us/health/ems/emt.shtml

Any other questions?

Sorry, but the first link you posted leads me to a dead page.

And thanks, I've already read through the State of New Jersey's website, however I'm looking for what exactly I'll be learning.

I.e, extractions, basic first aid, etc.

Can I just leave the answer to the question, "What did I learn?" as "not enough."

Really?

The EMT course is horribly short on information.

Does it matter if the course is given in NJ?
 
I dare anyone to take a college level anatomy and a college level physiology course and tell me that how they approach patients and treatment is not completely different and better due to it. You simply can't learn a working level of A/P is the 2 hours budgeted in the NHTSA curriculum. Heck, the amount of A/P I got in my undergrad as determined by hours (and this was the quarter system) would have been over half the class time.

Alternatively, I'll give anyone the chance to explain why someone providing medical care without direct supervision based off of their own assessment should only have a cursory understanding of A/P.


Just curious, do you have Adobe Acrobat Reader (or the full Acrobat software) downloaded on your computer? That link worked for me.
 
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Question, Are you an EMT-B or going into the traing? I got confused because in your intro post you stated that you were an EMT-B!

Which is it?
 
Question, Are you an EMT-B or going into the traing? I got confused because in your intro post you stated that you were an EMT-B!

Which is it?

Well due to the my current traing now, and the training I will be taking as an EMT-B, I won't have much time to really log on here. I myself am only certified in CPR and BLS, however then next time I log on I will be certified so thats why I introduced myself as having the certification.

Confusing?
 
A little.

NJ allows 16 yea olds to take the EMT-B test?
 
A little.

NJ allows 16 yea olds to take the EMT-B test?

Well if you take the course provided by an accredited agency you will have to take the test in order to get your card. If I had a scanner I'd scan you an image of my EMT card given to me by my Squad. It already has my EMT-B certification on because their paying for my course.
 
I know NJ is backwards when it comes to EMS, but that just sounds fishy! A squad can issue their own EMT certs to someone and give them a cert before they are trained?

No offense, but I will do my best to stay out of NJ!!!!!!
 
I know NJ is backwards when it comes to EMS, but that just sounds fishy! A squad can issue their own EMT certs to someone and give them a cert before they are trained?

No offense, but I will do my best to stay out of NJ!!!!!!

Ha ha ha, no no no, these cards are issued by the First Aid Council of New Jersey and believe it or not all the EMS agencies that I know of in NJ, there are a lot of smart, helpful, and skilled people working there.
 
So they gave you a card saying your an EMT-B even though you haven't finished the course? :huh:

Yes and no.
Its a new year so everyone, in my area, is getting their new ID's.
This Wednesday at 6:30 all of our squad goes to get our pictures taken for our new ID's with our information on it. Because I just joined and I'll be starting EMT School soon there putting my info down already on the card.
I know it sounds confusing . . .
 
They are making you an ID card, not a certification card, right? It's also that your First Aid Squad isnt paying for your training the strate is, right?

Shouldnt you know what is in your EMT class before you sign up to take it? Shouldnt you have been given an idea of the skills and knowledge taught? What your role in going to be? How long the course is going to take? What is going to be asked of you...? Wouldnt those be logical questions to ask your instructor before beginning a class, instead of an internet forum?
 
They are making you an ID card, not a certification card, right? It's also that your First Aid Squad isnt paying for your training the strate is, right?

Shouldnt you know what is in your EMT class before you sign up to take it? Shouldnt you have been given an idea of the skills and knowledge taught? What your role in going to be? How long the course is going to take? What is going to be asked of you...? Wouldnt those be logical questions to ask your instructor before beginning a class, instead of an internet forum?

Yes but the Chief who signed me up is having some family emergencies and he hasn't been around the station so I haven't had the chance to ask him.
 
Here's the table of contents from the textbook my class used ("Emergency Care", Tenth Edition)

Chapter 1: Introduction to Emergency Medical Care
Chapter 2: The Well-Being of the EMT-Basic
Chapter 3: Medical/Legal and Ethical Issues
Chapter 4: The Human Body
Chapter 5: Lifting and Moving Patients
Chapter 6: Airway Management
Chapter 7: Scene Size-Up
Chapter 8: The Initial Assessment
Chapter 9: Vital Signs and SAMPLE History
Chapter 10: Assessment of the Trauma Patient
Chapter 11: Assessment of the Medical Patient
Chapter 12: Ongoing Assessment
Chapter 13: Communications
Chapter 14: Documentation
Chapter 15: General Pharmacology
Chapter 16: Respiratory Emergencies
Chapter 17: Cardiac Emergencies
Chapter 18: Acute Abdominal Emergencies
Chapter 19: Diabetic Emergencies and Altered Mental Status
Chapter 20: Allergic Reactions
Chapter 21: Poisoning and Overdose Emergencies
Chapter 22: Environmental Emergencies
Chapter 23: Behavioral Emergencies
Chapter 24: Obstetric and Gynecological Emergencies
Chapter 25: Putting It All Together for the Medical Patient
Chapter 26: Bleeding and Shock
Chapter 27: Soft-Tissue Injuries
Chapter 28: Musculoskeletal Injuries
Chapter 29: Injuries to the Head and Spine
Chapter 30: Putting It All Together for the Trauma Patient
Chapter 31: Infants and Children
Chapter 32: Geriatric Patients
Chapter 33: Ambulance Operations
Chapter 34: Gaining Access and Rescue Operations
Chapter 35: Special Operations
Chapter 36: Terrorism and EMS
Chapter 37: Advanced Airway Management

But once you're out in the field, THAT'S when the REAL learning begins.
 
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