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Accelerated (18 day) EMT programs


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I think you have misread something somewhere. It is neither 18 hours, nor does it give a license at the end of it. Not that I am advocating taking these courses

I stand corrected. 18 days then. The point remains the same.

Our college here offers a fast track EMT program that lets students do it all in one semester. While that is fine for the exceptionally bright and dedicated among us, it's still too much too fast for most people. I'm opposed to it being offered to the general public. The fail/dropout rate backs my feelings on that.

Now there is an 18 day course saying they will gladly cram a year's worth of education down your throat in two and a half weeks. Plus give you a night on the town! There is no way to retain that much information in such a short time unless your name begins with Stephen and ends with Hawking.

I cringe when I hear an EMT say, "O2 stat". I hang my head when these fast track EMTs can't tell me what SAMPLE, OPQRST and DCAP-BTLS mean. These are the people that are running calls to our nursing homes where the CNAs and LPNs have grandma on a NRB at 3lpm. Instead of our field advancing and becoming more respected, it's being made to look like a caveman can do it. How are we supposed to gain the public's trust and the respect of the medical community if we are reduced to an 18 day class? It's insulting.

Edited by Katiebug
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EMT Basic is not a years worth of material. It is not an education. It is a skills class. Why stretch it? 120 hours over 2 weeks is same as 120 hours stretched over a year. There is just not anything to this. It is a first aid course. The longest any basic course should be stretched is 3 months otherwise so much time is passing between classes you forget what little you have learned. Until EMT basic is increased by a bunch there is no point wasting time. If you go to class 3 hours a week you will not come out any better trained than doing it all in 2 weeks.

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I cringe when I hear an EMT say, "O2 stat". I hang my head when these fast track EMTs can't tell me what SAMPLE, OPQRST and DCAP-BTLS mean. These are the people that are running calls to our nursing homes where the CNAs and LPNs have grandma on a NRB at 3lpm. Instead of our field advancing and becoming more respected, it's being made to look like a caveman can do it. How are we supposed to gain the public's trust and the respect of the medical community if we are reduced to an 18 day class? It's insulting

I agree with all you have said.

But 18 days is positively eons compaired to some of the Private firms in the UK which offer a 5 day (8 hours per day) EMT course. Not really relvant for here, but it always has me laughing one minute and pissed off the next.

The lack of regulation of the name, and the desire to hoodwink the public into thinking they have something relevant to ambulance work, has created many not-at-all-like-the-real-thing courses, which usually teach you not much more than how to obligate yourself to show up the scene of MVCs, in a flap, with that "all out of breath" look.

Some of the many link that Google will spew up.

http://www.interdive.co.uk/diver-courses.asp?course=210

http://www.crownmedicaltraining.co.uk/docu..._Technician.pdf

http://www.era-adventures.com/firstaid.php#technicians

http://www.norvic.biz/courses/docs/pdfs/fa...cian_course.pdf

PS, they are open to anyone.

Edited by scott33
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To be honest, those quick classes like that are insulting to me. I spent a year going to night school to get my EMT license. I studied and learned all I could. Then I spent another year and a half going to school on the weekends to get a paramedic license. Not to mention all the clinical hours (thousands) spent away from my wife and kids just so I could do this job.

Now someone wants to offer an EMT license with just 18 hours of class. How the hell are we supposed to be taken seriously in the medical community with crap like that? We're trying to raise standards, public perception, status and pay. This crap is nothing but a roadblock to us. Shame, shame, shame on them.

That's what I think.

I took the Fast Track. I can tell you SAMPLE, OPQRST, DCAP-BTLS..... I know my EMT book from Cover to Cover. I took the Fast Track because I have a medical background. Don't be so quick to judge.

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The problem is people who take these classes and don't put in the effort they should to take the job seriously. I know a few who have taken a 30 day course and I won't ask them to get me vitals. I also know some who have taken the class and later become very good paramedics.

So, it is all what YOU put into it. Read your book, take is seriously. Pay attention on how to take a blood pressure and put on a bandaid or whatever.

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The problem is people who take these classes and don't put in the effort they should to take the job seriously. I know a few who have taken a 30 day course and I won't ask them to get me vitals. I also know some who have taken the class and later become very good paramedics.

So, it is all what YOU put into it. Read your book, take is seriously. Pay attention on how to take a blood pressure and put on a bandaid or whatever.

Thank you.

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I took the Fast Track. I can tell you SAMPLE, OPQRST, DCAP-BTLS..... I know my EMT book from Cover to Cover.

I have no idea what DCAP-BTLS stands for.... I think I learned it somewhere??

I guess that means I am not very good at assessing a trauma patient.

/sarcasm

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I have no idea what DCAP-BTLS stands for.... I think I learned it somewhere??

I guess that means I am not very good at assessing a trauma patient.

/sarcasm

Agreed. Just because you don't know what a memory crutch means does not make you a bad provider.

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Agreed. Just because you don't know what a memory crutch means does not make you a bad provider.

So Doc are you a bad provider? :P

I agree though. Not using these memory techniques does not a bad provider one make.

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Agreed. Just because you don't know what a memory crutch means does not make you a bad provider.

Agreed, who really uses DCAP-BTLS after leaving the NREMT psychomotor skill station? In addition, everybody has some funny phrase for remembering things. Any nurse who has taken TNCC is familiar with ABCDEFG. In reality, phrases like this mean nothing as long as the provider delivers proper care.

As for the "accelerated EMT" classes: In all honesty, it makes no difference to me. Basic EMT is essentially advanced first aid with a few skills. There is not much in the way of foundational knowledge or advanced concepts taught at this level, so I do not think it makes much of a difference.

Take care,

chbare.

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