Kapiolani Community College (Hawaii EMS)

NirvanaMonkey

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Aloha Guys!,

I'm just asking if anyone has completed the Kapiolani Community College EMT course.

I have heard the course is very rigorous as EMT-B's in Hawai'i can start IV's and push certain meds with their medics present.

Any tips in general for EMT school, what should I study beforehand?
 

Seirende

Washed Up Paramedic/ EMT Dropout
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If you search "Kapiolani" on this forum there's some information in other threads. Also @Jim37F is our island guy.
 

Jim37F

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Kapi'olani Community College (KCC) is the only school on Oahu to go to get State of Hawaii EMT License. Other programs only meet NREMT level, but HI EMT has requirements above and beyond.

Real quick, about me, I am a Honolulu Firefighter. I moved from CA where I was an EMT-B there. We did a full NREMT training course in our fire academy, but only NREMT, not the extra HI State EMT Licensure requirements (HFD only does BLS non transport first response, so they don't feel the need to spend the extra time and money). I am interested in becoming a HI State Licensed EMT (I'd like to maintain my EMT skills working above and beyond what we do on the engine company, plus I'd like the second job as overtime availability waxes and wanes lol)

KCC requires prerequisites to gain entry into their EMT program. Theres a monthly info session that you must attend within one year of entry to the program. Pretty much all my info comes from that seminar. Pre-req classes are ENG 100 Composition 1, HLTH 125 Survey of Medical Terminology, and a math placement exam (Accuplacer) score of 250 or higher (or completion of a MATH 75X or higher course within the previous 2 years).

Additionally because EMT is considered an intro to Paramedic later down the line, it is highly recommended, tho not quite required, to also take as Pre-Reqs MATH 103 College Algebra (or higher), BIOL 130 and 130 lab or PHYL 141 and Lab (either class within 5 years) and FAMR 230 Human Development.

They conduct one class of approximately 16 EMT students each semester, which requires application. Completion of the Medic pre-reqs award points to being accepted into the EMT program, so while not strictly required those courses are still strongly recommended in order to be a competitive applicant.

Also required for entry is First Aid and CPR Certifications, American Heart Association (AHA) required.

Besides the the pre-reqs, you must interview (worth 50% of your score) to be accepted into the EMT program. Essentially the same as a job interview, "Why do you want to be an EMT? What do you expect a daily schedule as an EMT is like? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Etc etc.

So finally getting into the core EMT class. Its 16 weeks, same length as the regular semester for any other class at KCC. Classes are essentially full time, Monday thru Thursday, 0730-1430 (plus skill practice until 1630), some Fridays as well, usually a half day, essentially the lab day, as well as optional come in and practice day.

Out of the 16 person classes, they typically expect about 12 to actually graduate.

Beyond the 16 week NR portion is a 2 week advanced, HI specific skills class including things line IV starts and meds and what not. Plus 5 weeks of Clinicals on C&C EMS ambulances.

I believe there's some hospital ER intern time as well (we had to do a couple shifts as part of our NREMT only medical training part of the Honolulu Fire Academy).

For NREMT to State of HI, there is just barely reciprocity. There is a plan in the books, basically you just take the 2 week state specifics class plus the ambulance clinicals. But when I inquired about this pathway a month or two ago, the instructors told me the State was also in the process of looking into and reviewing/revising, and that pathway may change altogether, possibly be mothballed completely (plus the requirement for the ambulance clinical to be 911 ambulances requires C&C EMS here on Oahu, unless I spend 5 weeks on Maui or Kauai with their AMR op, they have a backlog of clinical students till the fall, so I'm not going to get my State License for a little while just yet lol).
 
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NirvanaMonkey

Forum Ride Along
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Kapi'olani Community College (KCC) is the only school on Oahu to go to get State of Hawaii EMT License. Other programs only meet NREMT level, but HI EMT has requirements above and beyond.

Real quick, about me, I am a Honolulu Firefighter. I moved from CA where I was an EMT-B there. We did a full NREMT training course in our fire academy, but only NREMT, not the extra HI State EMT Licensure requirements (HFD only does BLS non transport first response, so they don't feel the need to spend the extra time and money). I am interested in becoming a HI State Licensed EMT (I'd like to maintain my EMT skills working above and beyond what we do on the engine company, plus I'd like the second job as overtime availability waxes and wanes lol)

KCC requires prerequisites to gain entry into their EMT program. Theres a monthly info session that you must attend within one year of entry to the program. Pretty much all my info comes from that seminar. Pre-req classes are ENG 100 Composition 1, HLTH 125 Survey of Medical Terminology, and a math placement exam (Accuplacer) score of 250 or higher (or completion of a MATH 75X or higher course within the previous 2 years).

Additionally because EMT is considered an intro to Paramedic later down the line, it is highly recommended, tho not quite required, to also take as Pre-Reqs MATH 103 College Algebra (or higher), BIOL 130 and 130 lab or PHYL 141 and Lab (either class within 5 years) and FAMR 230 Human Development.

They conduct one class of approximately 16 EMT students each semester, which requires application. Completion of the Medic pre-reqs award points to being accepted into the EMT program, so while not strictly required those courses are still strongly recommended in order to be a competitive applicant.

Also required for entry is First Aid and CPR Certifications, American Heart Association (AHA) required.

Besides the the pre-reqs, you must interview (worth 50% of your score) to be accepted into the EMT program. Essentially the same as a job interview, "Why do you want to be an EMT? What do you expect a daily schedule as an EMT is like? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Etc etc.

So finally getting into the core EMT class. Its 16 weeks, same length as the regular semester for any other class at KCC. Classes are essentially full time, Monday thru Thursday, 0730-1430 (plus skill practice until 1630), some Fridays as well, usually a half day, essentially the lab day, as well as optional come in and practice day.

Out of the 16 person classes, they typically expect about 12 to actually graduate.

Beyond the 16 week NR portion is a 2 week advanced, HI specific skills class including things line IV starts and meds and what not. Plus 5 weeks of Clinicals on C&C EMS ambulances.

I believe there's some hospital ER intern time as well (we had to do a couple shifts as part of our NREMT only medical training part of the Honolulu Fire Academy).

For NREMT to State of HI, there is just barely reciprocity. There is a plan in the books, basically you just take the 2 week state specifics class plus the ambulance clinicals. But when I inquired about this pathway a month or two ago, the instructors told me the State was also in the process of looking into and reviewing/revising, and that pathway may change altogether, possibly be mothballed completely (plus the requirement for the ambulance clinical to be 911 ambulances requires C&C EMS here on Oahu, unless I spend 5 weeks on Maui or Kauai with their AMR op, they have a backlog of clinical students till the fall, so I'm not going to get my State License for a little while just yet lol).

So what meds can an EMT pass and what not? :)... just curious (In the state of HI)..
 

Jim37F

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Honestly I'm not 100% sure. On the FD side we only carry O2, tho I'm sure there's nothing legally stopping us from carrying Oral Glucose as well, especially since there's talk that the Med Section at Training Bureau wants us to get glucometers.

I can say I've heard EMS Medics give orders for their EMT to start a line and give Zofran to a BLS Pt while said medic was hopping into the driver seat of the ambulance with his EMT attending, and I've seen a Medic (who made one unsuccessful intubation pass) coach his EMT on her first King Airway insertion.

But for more detailed specifics I'd have to Google it lol. It seems to be basic IV starts and basic IV meds, besides Zofran I'd imagine saline and the like are included. I'm also not sure how much would be covered in a "under Medic supervision" protocol (so could an AMR dual EMT unit decide to start a line and give Zofran while on a BLS IFT? Idk

I've also heard them refer to that 2 week class as a "IV and Defib" class informally, so I also imagine there's some basic recognition of V-Fib and V-Tach and manual defib of those, but without actually having gone to that class that's all pure speculation on my part.

I have heard in the past HI EMT was closer to NR AEMT and fir a while I thought that going thru KCC program they took NR AEMT, but in the info session they only ever mentioned NR EMT basic so it's not quite Advanced level, but somewhere in between it seems.
 
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