PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT:

Transcription

1 18-Sep-08 Outcomes and Curriculum Map - Paramedic Technology Certificate Program PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT: The mission of Northern Essex Community College Paramedic and EMS Programs is to serve the people of the Greater Merrimack Valley by offering paramedic training to those qualified in a collegiate atmosphere. The result is a paramedic capable of high quality, competent, pre-hospital emergency care when they need it the most. OBJECTIVES 1 An understanding of emergency medical services as a profession, and how laws and ethical issues affect its practice. 1 Differentiate among training and roles and responsibilities of the 4 national recognized levels of EMS licensure/certification; first responder, EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate, and EMT-Paramedic. 2 Describe the basic structure of the legal system and relate how laws affect the paramedic s practice. 2 Knowledge and skills needed for effective situation, scene, and patient assessment and management, including taking a patient history and performing a comprehensive physical examination. 1 Outline effective techniques for scene and patient assessment and management, as well as the critical steps in initial patient assessment. 2 Outline techniques and demonstrate ability regarding recognizing and responding appropriately to medical emergencies and potentially dangerous calls. 3 Perform a patient assessment on any patient by taking a proper history and using proper techniques to perform a comprehensive physical exam. 4 List routine vital signs; state the normal range of values for each; and identify abnormal and compensatory findings. 3 Ability to effectively communicate with other EMS professionals and patients. 1 Identify the five major functions of the incident command system. 2 Describe the role of communications in EMS. 3 List the elements of effective therapeutic communication. 4 Properly communicate to others the findings from a patient history and comprehensive physical exam. 9/18/08 1

2 4 Knowledge of measures to take to minimize the risk of work-related illness or injury responding to an emergency or during rescue operations. 1 Identify preventive measures to minimize the risk of workrelated illness or injury associated with exposure, lifting and moving patients, hostile environments, vehicle operations, and rescue situations. 5 General knowledge and skills concerning drugs including classifications, drug administration and action, paramedic's responsibilities, and how to use pharmaceutical information to determine patient management plans. 1 Differentiate among the chemical, generic (nonproprietary), and trade (proprietary) names of a drug. 2 Describe how drugs are classified, including scheduled narcotics and their substances/ components. 3 List and describe general properties of drugs. 4 Discuss considerations for storing and securing medications. 5 Describe the specific anatomy and physiology pertinent to pharmacology with additional attention to autonomic pharmacology and drug action/ activity/ interactions. 6 List and differentiate routes of drug administration. 7 Discuss the paramedic's responsibilities and scope of management/ protocol pertinent to the administration of medications. 8 Synthesize patient history information and assessment findings to form a field impression which can be used to implement a pharmacologic management plan. 9 Demonstrate the ability to administer medications safely and effectively within the scope of practice for a paramedic. 10 Demonstrate competency in the administration of IV therapy, including IV medications. 9/18/08 2

3 6 Knowledge and skills related to the assessment and management of certain specific conditions and disorders, excluding cardiovascular. 1 Distinguish the pathophysiology of respiratory emergencies related to ventilation, diffusion, and perfusion. 2 Administer airway treatments, including endotracheal intubation and alternative airway management. 3 Describe the pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, and patient management for patients with diabetes and diabetic emergencies, genitourinary disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and neurological disorders, and for female patients with abdominal pain either caused or not caused by trauma. 4 Explain normal maternal physiological changes that occur during pregnancy and how they influence prehospital patient care and transportation. 5 Describe specific techniques for assessment and management of the pregnant patient. 7 Knowledge and skills related to the assessment and management of specific patient populations, including geriatric patients. 1 Describe pathophysiology, assessment and management of specific illnesses that affect selected body systems in the geriatric patient; Describe general principles of assessment specific to older adults. 2 Identify considerations in prehospital management related to physical challenges such as hearing, visual, and speech impairments, obesity, patients with paraplegia or quadriplegia and for patients who have mental illness, are developmentally disabled, or are emotionally or mentally impaired. 3 Differentiate key symptoms and management techniques for selected behavioral and psychiatric disorders. 4 Describe the normal vital signs, body system characteristics and psychosocial features of the newborn to the older adult. 5 Identify considerations in prehospital management related to patients with selected pathological challenges. 6 Describe prehospital considerations when responding to and caring for battered patients. 9/18/08 3

4 7 Outline general principles of assessment and management of the home health care patient. 9/18/08 4

5 8 Understanding of the effects on injuries of various causes and forces. 9 Ability to identify safety practices related to infection control and contamination. 1 Define energy and force as they relate to trauma. 2 Describe the pathophysiology of the head, spine, thorax, abdomen, and extremities that result from various kinetic forces. 1 Identify safety practices related to infection control and contamination. 10 Knowledge and skills concerning the characteristics of normal cardiac functioning, cardiac monitoring, general assessment/ management, and. 1 Describe the normal/ abnormal physiology of the heart. 2 Explain the relationship of the electrocardiogram and its interpretation to the electrical activity of the heart. 3 Outline the appropriate assessment of a patient who may be experiencing a cardiovascular disorder. 4 List indications, contraindications, and prehospital considerations when using selected cardiac interventions, including basic life support, monitordefibrillators, defibrillation, implantable cardioverterdefibrillators, synchronized cardioversion, transcutaneuos cardiac pacing, and pharmacological agents. 5 Administer various oxygen and airway adjuncts and treatments. 6 Describe the indications, precautions, and proper use of electrical therapy devices including automated external defibrillator and external pacemaker. 7 Administer cardiovascular pharmacological agents. 8 Perform one- and two-rescuer cardiopulmonary resuscitation on an adult. 9 Administer electrical therapy. 9/18/08 5

6 11 Knowledge and skills concerning the assessment and management of newborns, infants and children including cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care. 1 Describe the pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, assessment and management of selected neonatal and pediatric emergencies, including pre-hospital management of specific neonatal resuscitation situations, and specific injuries in children. 2 Demonstrate the cognitive and psychomotor skills needed to evaluate newborns, infants, and children, and to identify and properly perform/ administer necessary clinical procedures and interventions such as performing endotracheal intubation, administering chest compressions, using a resuscitation bag and establishing intraosseous cannulation. 3 State the indications, dosages, and cardiovascular effects of medications used in the treatment of cardiopulmonary arrest in newborns, infants, and children. 4 Identify various normal and abnormal cardiac rhythms and use appropriate pharmacological and electrical therapeutic interventions to restore cardiac stability in newborns, infants, and children. 9/18/08 6