Revised 8/31/2012
Emergency Medical Services
The Emergency Medical Services Program is a 60 Credit Hour Associate of Applied Science
Degree Program that is designed for students who are interested in pursuing jobs in the out of hospital
setting.
Prior to application to the EMS program, all students are required to have taken either the
Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) course or the new Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
course, which meets the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Standard Curriculum for EMT-B or
EMT and possess a current card. The clinical concentration within the EMS degree meets the U.S.
Department of Transportation's National Standard Curriculum for the new Paramedic. Successful
completion of the program qualifies the graduate to sit for the National Registry Examination for
Paramedic. It is intended that the clinical concentration of the EMS Program will prepare the graduate for
a volunteer or paid career as a nationally certified Paramedic.
Admission to the Emergency Medical Services Program is made after admission to the College and prior
to enrollment in any of the advanced clinical level EMS courses in the Paramedic Program (200-level
EMSP courses), and the student must complete the following and submit to the EMS Program
Coordinator:
1. An application to the EMS Paramedic Program;
2. A photocopy of current CPR (Healthcare Provider Course) certification;
3. Current EMT-B or EMT card from either: National Registry, West Virginia, Maryland, or Virginia.
4. Submission to the EMS Clinical Coordinator of a completed immunization record prior to
participation in any EMS Practicum course;
5. Submission to the EMS Clinical Coordinator of yearly PPD results (or chest X-ray, if appropriate).
6. Successfully completed a urine drug screen and national criminal background check.
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Revised 8/31/2012
Blue Ridge CTC Emergency Medical Service Program Goal
To prepare competent entry level Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedics in the cognitive
(knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.
EMS TECHNICAL STANDARDS
The following activities are examples of the kind of activities in which a student in the EMS program
will be required to perform in order to successfully complete the program.
1. Critical Thinking: Paramedic students should possess critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment. For example: the paramedic student must be able to prioritize the care of the critically injured or ill patient.
2. Interpersonal Skills: Paramedic students shall possess interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with individuals, families, groups, etc. from a variety of social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds. For example: student shall establish rapport with clients/patients and health care team members.
3. Communication Skills: Paramedic students shall possess communication abilities sufficient for interaction with others in verbal and written forms. For example: providing verbal encode to medical direction from the field and documentation of patient care.
4. Mobility: Paramedic students shall possess physical abilities sufficient to move from room to room, maneuver in small spaces, stand and walk for extensive periods of time and lift average size adults with help. For example: transferring patients on to stretchers, loading and unloading stretchers into the ambulance and moving about the scene to search and discover patients.
5. Motor Skills: Paramedic students shall possess gross and fine motor abilities sufficient to provide safe and effective care. For example: calibrate and use designated equipment, insertion of tubes and initiation of intravenous and intraosseous infusions and administration of medications.
6. Hearing: Paramedic students shall possess auditory ability sufficient to monitor and assess health needs. For example: hear monitor alarms, emergency signals, and cries for help and auscultate breath and bowel sounds.
7. Visual: Paramedic students shall possess visual ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary for care. For example: observe patient/client responses to treatment, use of designated equipment and assessment of patient.
8. Tactile: Paramedic students shall possess tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment. For example: perform palpation and percussion, assessment of skin vital signs.
9. Weight Bearing: Paramedic students shall possess ability to lift and manipulate/move 45-50 pounds on a daily basis. For example: position patients/clients, carry designated equipment.
10. Cognitive Abilities: Paramedic students shall possess ability to be oriented to time, place and person and organize responsibilities, make decisions and function effectively in critical situation. For example: student shall assess client/patient complaints and implement appropriate plans for care.
11. Occupational Exposures: Paramedic students may be exposed to communicable diseases/ and or body fluids, toxic substances, medicinal preparations and latex. Students shall use appropriate precautions at all times. For example: student maybe be assigned a client/patient with a communicable disease and shall provide total care using universal precautions.
