How to Use This Text – Learners

Overview:

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) must be prepared for an array of possible emergencies while on duty. These skills must be ingrained through practice to withstand the stress of an emergency scene: ready at a moment’s notice, should the patient condition necessitate.

Within this book you will find many of the skills an EMT will be expected to perform. Each student is required to complete each skill a minimum number of times. This effort will assist the instructional team in tracking your progress, as well as provide you with the documentation necessary to prove proficiency for national and state certification. The skills in this text are important to master but remember, a truly proficient EMT is refreshing old skills and acquiring new ones throughout their career.

Process:

Each time a skill is performed by an individual or member of the team the student will obtain a witness initial and date in the box. A witness can be a classmate, family member, field or clinical preceptor, or friend, and in some cases self-initiated. The final initial on each skill is labeled “instructor” and must be initiated by a certified EMS professional, usually one part of the instructional team. Please work with the lead instructor to understand their expectations.

Some skills have additional spaces for students to document details of the skill. This section may include vital sign readings, location of injury or technique used. It is best practice to document every skill, as it is the expectation in the profession.

Grading:

Refer to the course syllabus and the lead instructor for grading policies. The authors recommend the text be utilized in its entirety. However, assignments and grading are at the discretion of the lead instructor.