NREMT-Basic Exam Takers BEWARE

[N2DFire]

http://www.nremt.org/about/article_00018_Basic_deficit_potential.asp

Test Results Reveal Potential Deficits in EMT-Basic Education
By Philip D. Dickison
Posted 7/19/2004

Evaluation of the current versions of the NREMT-Basic written examination indicates EMT-Basic students are having significant difficulty in identifying and managing airway, oxygenation, and/or ventilation problems in pediatric and adult patients. The deficits in EMT education are related to recognizing the differences between signs and symptoms associated with oxygen deficiency and the signs and symptoms associated with ventilation deficiencies. In addition to these areas, the test results indicate the current EMT-Basic has difficulty answering items requiring an understanding of airway and ventilation issues related to the current CPR Guidelines.

Similar deficits were identified more than two years ago and resulted in the development of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 2002 EMT-Basic Supplemental Airway Module. States requiring their instructors to use this supplemental airway module have reported significant improvement in examination scores, unfortunately there does not appear to be widespread use of the valuable education tool within EMS classrooms. EMS educators may download a copy of the 2002 EMT-Basic Supplemental Airway Module by clicking here. (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/ems/2002AirwayModules.pdf)

Educators should be cautious of assuming that the students who possess a current CPR card are proficient in the entire domain of basic cardiac life support. The EMT-Basic educator should incorporate the basic cardiac life support principles included in the American Heart Association's "Guideline 2000 for CPR and ECC" within the educational support materials utilized in their CPR courses.

[EricCSU]

My initial course offering was prior to this module and when I took the NREMT practice exam in May, the only section I failed was the airway section, by about 20 points. Great excuse to study up. I ended up getting a 88 on that section, so the studying definitely helped.

Eric

[emttiv]

I know this is an old post, but I just ran the BVM and suction skill stations at one of the recent NREMT tests in our state and I was blown away by how many people failed the critical criteria. Out of 35 candidates, 10 failed. Very simple stations to pass with a reasonable amount of practice. I have to blame instruction as 8 were from one class.

I was amazed any of them passed the written. Several of them used http://www.emt-national-training.com for practice tests and questions. I have actually been recommending it to students getting ready for the NREMT exam as it seems to help. I wish they had something for the practicals though

EMTTIV

[montet202]

Could this have to do with the fact that many EMS educator, though probably very compitent and knowledgable providers, have little or no background or education on being educators?
The "Blueprint" has been out for ten years now. When are we going to start really pushing porward with it?

[DaSharkie]

I think that so many folks undervalue the need for an airway. It just does not get emphasized enough in training. You learn how to ventilate, you learn how to drop an OPA or NPA - but you just are not taught how to clinically differentiate an issue and how to think as you need to in these situations.

[croaker260]

I would add that in many EMT coursed (not mine) skills labs are not mandatory, and there is not enough hands on time.

In my classes EVERY test was accompanied by a skills test of some sort. And I gave weekly tests.

95% first time pass rate. 100% total pass rate. Of coursethe classes I taught are in excess of 150 hours classroom and 48 hours clinical too. And I still wish I could teach more.

[DaSharkie]

I would add that in many EMT coursed (not mine) skills labs are not mandatory, and there is not enough hands on time.

In my classes EVERY test was accompanied by a skills test of some sort. And I gave weekly tests.

95% first time pass rate. 100% total pass rate. Of coursethe classes I taught are in excess of 150 hours classroom and 48 hours clinical too. And I still wish I could teach more.


That is an issue there too. There is just WAY too much knowledge to teach people than the 120 hours requires. And no one wants to attend more classes because they want to spit people out fast to increase revenue. The old Quantity vs. Quality argument.

[doughesson]

I agree with montet202 in that it could be a case of good EMTs in a job they haven't entirely figured out.Plus it could be that the course could be taught in numerous campuses of a school and the one you're in doesn't have all the props that the main campus has.
Some of the skills we learned we had to visualize (using the Combitube properly for example),til we visited another lab and uh- ''liberated" some props so we could see how the tube was supposed to seat against the trachea correctly.
Due to paperwork woes,I still haven't taken the tests but have been re-re-reading the books so I at least know the book learning pretty well now.It remains to be seen how that will get me through the skills and written test.

[pkfd7505]

Hummm, glad I saw this thread. I go for the NREMT test in December. My Instructors require over 140 hours instead of the standard 120, plus we are required to do 72 hours of clinicals. I sure hope I pass the darn thing, I'm doing many hours of studying a week plus taking tons pf practice tests. The good thing is that my class has seveal nights set aside to do nothing expect practice and ask questions about items we struggle with.

[emttiv]

I belong to an all volunteer agency, very remote and had two different instructors for my EMT B and my EMT I. If I had not done practicals on my own time I would have never passed. There was very little practice of practicals in class. BUT we were taught how to do them correctly and then it was just about doing it over and over.

I did not mention above, the reason for the students failures was they were allowing for an approximately 8-10 second "passive exhalation" time which they had been taught for the BVM station. A 5 count AFTER the bag was fully expanded. I felt bad for them.

EMTTIV

[emtcsmith]

I would agree that alot would have to do with the one doing the teaching. Everyone else in the world that wants to be called professionals has professional degrees to back it. Second, the amount of anatomy and pathophysology taught in an EMT class probaby needs to be looked at.

Along the same lines if we can't demonstrate with these stats that basics are able to do this well, what gives us the impression we should be doing more?