The Emergency Medical Technician program provides training for out-of-hospital emergency medical care and transportation of critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical services (EMS) system. Emergency Medical Technicians have basic knowledge and skills necessary to stabilize and safely transport patients ranging from non-emergency and routine medical transports to life-threatening emergencies. Emergency Medical Technicians function as part of a comprehensive EMS response system, under medical oversight. Emergency Medical Technicians perform interventions with the basic equipment typically found on an ambulance. Emergency Medical Technicians are a critical link between the scene of an emergency and the health care system.
Objectives

• Apply fundamental knowledge of the anatomy and function of all human systems to the practice of EMS.

• Use foundational anatomical and medical terms and abbreviations in written and oral communication with colleagues and other healthcare professionals.

• Apply fundamental knowledge of the pathophysiology of respiration and perfusion to patient assessment and management.

• Apply fundamental knowledge of lifespan development to patient assessment and management.

• Properly administer or assist in administering medications to a patient during an emergency.

• Utilize fundamental knowledge of the EMS system, safety/well-being of the EMT, and medical/legal and ethical issues to the provision of emergency care.

• Apply knowledge (fundamental depth, foundational breadth) of anatomy and physiology to patient assessment and management to assure a patent airway, adequate mechanical ventilation, and respiration for patients of all ages.

• Interpret scene information and patient assessment findings (scene size-up, primary and secondary assessment, patient history, reassessment) to guide emergency management.

• Provide basic emergency care and transportation based on assessment findings for an acutely ill patient.

• Apply a fundamental knowledge of the causes, pathophysiology, and management of shock, respiratory failure or arrest, cardiac failure or arrest, and post-resuscitation management.

• Provide basic emergency care and transportation based on assessment findings for an acutely injured patient.

• Utilize principles of growth, development, aging, and assessment findings to provide basic emergency care and transportation for a patient with special needs.

• Perform in accordance with operational roles and responsibilities to ensure patient, public, and personnel safety when responding to an emergency.