EMT-PARAMEDIC
The EMT-P serves a unique role in the emergency medical services system, functioning as the eyes, ears, and hands of the medical control physician. At the direction of the physician, the EMT-P can perform advanced life support procedures that prior to the mid 1970's were performed only in the emergency department.
EMT-P’s are authorized to perform any of the basic and intermediate life support skills. In addition, they may perform the following advanced life support skills under the supervision of a medical control physician.
Medication administration
techniques:
Sub Q injection
IM injection
IV push
IV drip
IV from prefilled syringe
Rectal
Emergency drug therapy per state protocol
Approved interfacility drug transport
Pleural decompression (adult and pediatric)
Gastric lavage
Defibrillation
Synchronized cardioversion
External pacing
Manage cardiac arrest and cardiac patient per ACLS standards
EKG monitoring and rhythm identification
Vagal maneuvers
12-lead EKG (local option)
EMT-P’s must be practicing members of an EMS service that is licensed to provide advanced life support.
Each EMT-P candidate must meet the following course entrance requirements:
a. Must be a current South Carolina certified EMT-B or EMT-I and must maintain this status throughout the entire EMT-P course.
b. Must have a qualifying score (less than four years old) of 117 (78%) on the SC EMT-Basic or EMT-Intermediate examination - PLUS - have a qualifying HOBET score of 42% on the composite - OR - if their state or NR score is less than 117 and/or more than four years old, the EMT must have a qualifying HOBET score of 42% on composite AND 42% on the reading comprehension.
In order to obtain state certification, the EMT-P candidate must:
a. Attend the required number of classes to meet attendance requirements. All students must discuss any absence with the course instructor and must make arrangements to make up the class before the absence can be excused. Any student who misses more than twenty-four hours of the course will not be allowed to make it up or complete the course. All students must sign a statement of understanding regarding attendance.
b. Must provide statements from a SC licensed provider and service medical control physician indicating sponsorship.
c. Make an overall average score of 70 percent to pass the course. The instructor quizzes, averaged, will count as 25 percent of the student's grade. The five in-course examinations, when averaged, will count as 75 percent of the student's course grade. If the student scores less than 70 percent, he or she fails the course and will not be permitted to take the Registry exam which serves as the state initial examination.
d. Candidates who successfully complete a department-approved EMT-P initial course must successfully pass the National Registry EMT Paramedic exam to become certified as a paramedic. The student must successfully pass the written examination according to National Registry standards, and pass all practical stations. The practical exam has six stations: patient assessment; ventilatory management; dynamic and static cardiology; IV therapy and medications; spinal immobilization (seated); and random basic skills.
The paramedic course is taught from the Department of Transportation's current paramedic curriculum. The course consists of 424 hours of instruction, of which 212 hours are didactic, 130 hours are clinical, 72 hours are field internship, and 10 hours are testing.
DIVISION 1: PREHOSPITAL ENVIRONMENTAL
Section 1. Roles and
Responsibilities 1 hour
Section 2. EMS Systems 1 hour
Section 3. Medical/Legal Consideration 1 hour
Section 4. EMS Communication 3 hours
Section 5. Rescue 4 hours
Section 6. Major Incident Response 3 hours
Section 7. Stress Management 2 hours
DIVISION 2: PREPARATION
Section 1. Medical Terminology 1
hour
Section 2. General Patient Assessment 6 hours
Section 3. Airway Management and Ventilation 8 hours
Section 4. Pathophysiology of Shock 16 hours
Section 5. General Pharmacology 6 hours
DIVISION 3: TRAUMA
Section 1. Trauma 18 hours
Section 2. Burns 2 hours
DIVISION 4: MEDICAL
Section 1. Respiratory Section 12
hours
Section 2. Cardiovascular Section 80 hours
Section 3. Endocrine Emergencies 5 hours
Section 4. Nervous System 2 hours
Section 5. Acute Abdomen 3 hours
Section 6. Anaphylaxis 1 hour
Section 7. Toxicology, Alcoholism and Drug Abuse 5 hours
Section 8. Infectious Diseases 2 hours
Section 9. Environmental Injuries 6 hours
Section 10. Geriatrics/Gerontology 2 hours
Section 11. Pediatrics 6 hours
DIVISION 5: OB/GYN/NEONATAL
Section 1. OB/GYN/Neonatal 8 hours
DIVISION 6: BEHAVIORAL
Section 1. Behavioral Emergencies 8 hours
Total 212 hours
Each EMT-P student should be rotated through the following departments of the hospital:
CLINICAL ROTATIONS
Labor and Delivery 16 hours
Pediatrics 8 hours
Psychiatric 16 hours
Operating Room 16 hours
Intensive Care/Coronary Care 16 hours
Emergency Department 58 hours
Each EMT-P student should spend a minimum of 130 hours in clinical rotation. In addition to the clinical rotation, a minimum of 72 hours field internship (actual time spent on an ambulance as a student) is required.
Total Paramedic Course Requirements:
Didactic 212 hours
Clinical 130 hours
Field Internship 72 hours
Testing 10 hours
Total 424 hours
There is one technical college, Greenville Technical College, that operates an associate degree program through which EMTs at all levels are trained. Their curriculum meets all DOT EMT training objectives, and students must meet the institution's admission, progression, absentee and graduation criteria as is approved by DHEC in order to test for state certification.