Emergency Medical Technician-Basic: National Standard Curriculum EMT-Basic: National Standard Curriculum Instructor's Course Guide ------------------------------------- EMT-BASIC: NATIONAL STANDARD CURRICULUM PROJECT DIRECTOR David J. Samuels, MBA System Director Samaritan AirEvac/Emergency Medical Services Samaritan Health System Phoenix, AZ CO-MEDICAL DIRECTORS Henry C. Bock, MD, FACEP Emergency Physician Methodist Hospital of Indiana, Inc. Indianapolis, IN Kimball I. Maull, MD, FACS Director R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center Baltimore, MD PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR Walt A. Stoy, Ph.D., EMT-P Director of Educational Programs Center for Emergency Medicine Research Assistant Professor of Medicine University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA Contract Number DTNH22-90-C-05189 -------------------------------------- United States Department of Transportation i National Highway Traffic Safety Administration EMT-Basic: National Standard Curriculum EMT-Basic: National Standard Curriculum Instructor's Course Guide ------------------------------------- CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT GROUP James Bothwell, EMT-P Susan McHenry National Flight Paramedics National Association of State EMS Association Directors William Brown, RN, NREMT-P William Metcalf, EMT-P National Registry of Emergency American College of Emergency Medical Technicians Physicians Ricky Davidson Mary Beth Michos International Association of Fire International Association of Fire Chiefs Chiefs Karla Holmes, RN Joe Taylor, RN, Ph.D. National Council of State EMS Emergency Nurses Association Training Coordinators Katherine West, RN, MS Richard Judd, Ph.D., EMSI Infection Control Expert National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians Roger White, MD American Heart Association Kathryn Lewis, RN, Ph.D. Phoenix College, Education Robert Worsing, Jr., MD Design Expert American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Paul Maniscalco National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians MEDICAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE Robert Baron, MD, FACEP Kathleen Handal, MD, FACEP Emergency Physician Emergency Physician Nicholas Benson, MD, FACEP James Heckman, MD, FAAOS National Association of EMS American Academy of Orthopaedic Physicians Surgeons Society for Academic Emergency Medicine William Roush, MD, FACEP Joint Review Commission George Foltin, MD, FACEP American Academy of Pediatrics -------------------------------------- ii United States Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration EMT-Nasic: National Standard Curriculum EMT-Basic: National Standard Curriculum Instructor's Course Guide ------------------------------------- Preface The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has assumed responsibility for the development of training courses that are responsive to the standards established by the Highway Safety Act of 1966 (amended). Since these training courses are designed to provide national guidelines for training, it is NHTSA's intention that they be of the highest quality and be maintained in a current and up-to- date status from the point of view of both technical content and instructional strategy. To this end, NHTSA supported the current project which involved revision of the 1984 Emergency Medical Technician-Ambulance: National Standard Curriculum, deemed of high value to the states in carrying out their annual training programs. This course is one of a series of courses making up a National EMS training program for prehospital care. The curriculum, Emergency Medical Technician-Basic: National Standard Curriculum, is the cornerstone of EMS prehospital training. In addition, the new curriculum parallels the recommendations of the National EMS Education and Practice Blueprint. The EMT-Basic curriculum is a core curriculum of minimum required information, to be presented within a 110-hour training program. It is recognized that there is additional specific education that will be required of EMT-Basics who operate in the field, i.e. ambulance driver training, heavy and light rescue, basic extrication, special needs, and so on. It is also recognized that this information might differ from locality to locality, and that each training program, or system should identify and provide special training requirements. This curriculum is intended to prepare a medically competent EMT-Basic to operate in the field. Enrichment programs and continuing education will help fulfill other specific needs for the EMT-Basic's education. Acknowledgement From the very beginning of this revision project, the Department of Transportation relied on the knowledge, attitudes, and skills from hundreds of experts. These individuals sought their own level of involvement and contribution toward accomplishing the goals of this project. These contributions varied from individual to individual, and regardless of the level of involvement, everyone played a significant role in the development of the curriculum. It is essential that those who have assisted with the achievement of this worthy educational endeavor be recognized for their efforts. For every person named, there are 50 or more individuals that should be identified for their contributions. For all who have contributed, named and unnamed, thank you for sharing your vision. Your efforts have helped assure that the educational/training -------------------------------------- United States Department of Transportation iii National Highway Traffic Safety Administration EMT-Basic: National Standard Curriculum EMT-Basic: National Standard Curriculum Instructor's Course Guide ------------------------------------- needs of EMT-Basics are met so that they can provide appropriate and effective patient care. Special thanks for the knowledge, expertise, and dedication given to this project by the Project Director, Principal Investigator, Co-Medical Directors, and all the members of the Curriculum Development Group and Medical Oversight Committee. NHTSA would also like to recognize the following individuals and/or organizations for their significant contributions to this project: National Organizations National Council of State EMS Training Coordinators Michael O'Keefe, EMT National Registry of EMTs William Brown, RN Phil Dickison, REMT-P Individuals Robert Waters, PhD Joseph Mistovich, MS, REMT-P Michael Tunik, MD Montana Pilot Test Site Marc Racicot, Governor Albert E. Goke, Director, Highway Traffic Safety Division Drew Dawson, Chief, EMS Bureau Ken Threet, State Training Coordinator Dane Castelberry, Course Coordinator Dayle Derrin, Assistant State Training Coordinator Jim Upchurch, MD, REMT-B, Billings, Montana, Indian Health Service, Medical Director for the Pilot Program Pennsylvania Pilot Test Site Kum Ham, PhD, State EMS Director Gail Dubs, EMT, State Training Coordinator Dennis Wargo, M.Div., EMT-P, Regional Training Coordinator Scott Everitt, EMT-P, Lead Instructor Tom Platt, NREMT-P, Course Coordinator Ron Roth, MD, Medical Director for the Pilot Program -------------------------------------- iv United States Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration EMT-Nasic: National Standard Curriculum EMT-Basic: National Standard Curriculum Instructor's Course Guide ------------------------------------- Center for Emergency Medicine Walt Stoy, PhD, EMT-P, Principal Investigator Tom Platt, NREMT-P, Coordinator of EMS Education Gregg Margolis, BS, EMT-P, Associate Director of Education Debra Barclay, EMT-P, Coordinator of Medical Education Paul Paris, MD, FACEP, Chief Medical Director Donald Goodman, MBA, Chief Financial Officer Amy Tremel, BS, EMT-P Division of Emergency Medicine Attending Physicians, University of Pittsburgh Affiliated Residency in Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Samaritan Health System EMS Division Cindy Ruthem Georgia Snover Thanks to the many outside reviewers who provided diverse knowledge and skills from across the country. They contributed to the content and shared their ideas and visions about the new curriculum. NHTSA would also like to thank two other Federal agencies that supported the pilot testing of the new curriculum: The Maternal and Child Health Bureau and the Office of Rural Health Policy, both within the Department of Health and Human Services. Process The content of this curriculum was established by a Curriculum Development Group consisting of emergency medical and educational experts. These individuals met periodically to review, edit, and critique the development of the curriculum. The Medical Oversight Committee developed the medical/clinical component of the curriculum. A six-member writing group and Principal Investigator actually "put pen to paper", once the objectives and format were approved by the Curriculum Development Group and Medical Oversight Committee. The co-medical directors dealt with difficult and controversial issues and sought to achieve consensus with the Curriculum Development Group and Medical Oversight Committee. The National Council of State EMS Training Coordinators made a significant contribution to the overall design, development, and content of the curriculum -------------------------------------- United States Department of Transportation v National Highway Traffic Safety Administration EMT-Basic: National Standard Curriculum EMT-Basic: National Standard Curriculum Instructor's Course Guide ------------------------------------- throughout the project. More importantly, this organization has assumed the responsibility for implementing the curriculum in the coming years. Two pilot tests were conducted in Ekalaka,