EMS Curriculum Master Plan - EMS Bridge Program
EMS Curriculum Master Plan - Associate of Applied Science Degree

Course Descriptions

EMS 110: EMT Basic
Credits: 7 (5 Class, 2 Lab) This course introduces basic emergency medical care. Topics include preparatory, airway, patient assessment, medical emergencies, trauma, infants and children, and operations. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve North Carolina State or National Registry EMT-Basic certification.

EMS 111: Prehospital Environment
Credits: 3 (2 Class, 1 Lab) This course introduces the prehospital care environment and is required for all levels of EMT certification. Topics include roles, responsibilities, laws, ethics, communicable diseases, hazardous materials recognition, therapeutic communications, EMS systems, and defense tactics. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate competence in rules and regulations governing prehospital care and personal protection.

EMS 120: Intermediate Interventions
Credits: 3 (2 Class, 1 Lab) This course is designed to provide the necessary information for interventions appropriate to the EMT-Intermediate and is required for intermediate certification. Topics include automated external defibrillation, basic cardiac electrophysiology, intravenous therapy, venipuncture, acid-base balance, and fluids and electrolytes. Upon completion, students should be able to properly establish and IV line, obtain venous blood, utilize AED's and correctly interpret arterial blood gases. Prerequisite: EMS 110; Co-requisites: EMS 122, EMS 130, EMS 131

EMS 122: EMS Hospital Clinical I
Credits: 1 (1 Clinical) This course is the initial hospital clinical experience and is required for intermediate and paramedic certification. Emphasis is placed on intermediate-level skill. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate competence with intermediate-level skills. Prerequisite: EMS 110; Co-requisites: EMS 120, EMS 130; EMS 131

EMS 130: Pharmacology I for EMS
Credits: 2 (1 Class, 1 Lab) This course introduces the fundamental principles of pharmacology and medication administration and is required for intermediate and paramedic certification. Topics include terminology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, weights, measures, drug calculations, legislation, and administration routes. Upon completion, students should be able to accurately calculate drug dosages, properly administer medications, and demonstrate general knowledge of pharmacology. Prerequisite: EMS 110; Co-requisites: EMS 120, EMS 122, EMS 131

EMS 131: Advanced Airway Management
Credits: 2 (1 Class, 1 Lab) This course is designed to provide advanced airway management techniques and is required for intermediate and paramedic certification. Topics include respiratory anatomy and physiology, airway, ventilation, adjuncts, surgical intervention, and rapid sequence intubation. Upon completion, students should be able to properly utilize all airway adjuncts and pharmacology associated with airway control and maintenance. Prerequisite: EMS 110; Co-requisites: EMS 120, EMS 122, EMS 130

EMS 140: Rescue Scene Management
Credits: 2 (1 Class, 1 Lab) This course introduces rescue scene management and is required for paramedic certification. Topics include response to hazardous material conditions, medical incident command, and extrication of patients from a variety of situations. Upon completion, students should be able to recognize and manage rescue operations based upon initial and follow-up scene assessment.

EMS 150: Emergency Vehicle and EMS Communications
Credits: 2 (1 Class, 1 Lab) This course examines the principles governing emergency vehicles, maintenance of emergency vehicles, and EMS communication equipment and is required for paramedic certification. Topics include applicable motor vehicle laws affecting emergency vehicle operation, defensive driving, collision avoidance techniques, communication systems, and information management systems. Upon completion, students should have a basic knowledge of emergency vehicles, maintenance, and communication needs.

EMS 210: Advanced Patient Assessment
Credits: 2 (1 Class, 1 Lab) This course covers advanced patient assessment techniques and is required for paramedic certification. Topics include initial assessment, medical-trauma history, field impression, complete physical exam process, on-going assessment, and documentation skills. Upon completion, students should be able to utilize basic communication skills and record and report collected patient data. Prerequisites: EMS 120, EMS 130, EMS 131, EMS 122

EMS 220: Cardiology
Credits: 4 (2 Class, 2 Lab) This course provides and in-depth study of cardiovascular emergencies and is required for paramedic certification. Topics include anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, rhythm interpretation, cardiac pharmacology, and patient treatment. Upon completion, student should be able to certify at the Advanced Cardiac Life Support Provider level utilizing American Hearth Association guidelines. Prerequisites: EMS 120, EMS 130, EMS 131

EMS 221: EMS Clinical Practicum II
Credits: 3 (3 Clinical) This course is a continuation of the hospital and field internship required for paramedic certification. Emphasis is placed on advanced-level care. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate progress in advanced-level patient care. Prerequisite: EMS 122

EMS 231: EMS Clinical Practicum III
Credits: 3 (3 Clinical) This course is a continuation of the hospital and field internship required for paramedic certification. Emphasis is placed on advanced-level care. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate continued progress in advanced-level patient care. Prerequisite: EMS 221

EMS 232: EMS Hospital Clinical III
Credits: 2 (2 Clinical) This course is a continuation of the hospital clinical required for paramedic certification. Emphasis is placed on advanced-level care. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate continued progress in advanced-level patient care. Prerequisite: EMS 221

EMS 235: EMS Management
Credits: 2 (2 Class) This course stresses the principles of managing a modern emergency medical services system. Topics include structure and function of municipal governments, EMS grantsmanship, finance, regulatory agencies, system management, legal issues, and other topics relevant to the EMS manager. Upon completion, students should be able to understand the principles of managing emergency medical services delivery systems.

EMS 240: Special Needs Patients
Credits: 2 (1 Class, 1 Lab) This course includes concepts of crises intervention and techniques of dealing with special needs patients and is required for paramedic certification. Topics include behavioral emergencies, abuse, assault, challenged patients, personal well-being, home care, and psychotherapeutic pharmacology. Upon completion, students should be able to recognize and manage frequently encountered special needs patients. Prerequisites: EMS 120, EMS 122, EMS 130, EMS 131

EMS 241: EMS Clinical Practicum IV
Credits: 3 (3 Clinical) This course is a continuation of the hospital and field internship required for paramedic certification. Emphasis is placed on advanced-level care. Upon completion, students should be able to provide advanced-level patient care as an entry level paramedic. Prerequisite: EMS 231

EMS 250: Advanced Medical Emergencies
Credits: 3 (2 Class, 1 Lab) This course provides an in-depth study of medical conditions frequently encountered in the prehospital setting and is required for paramedic certification. Topics include pulmonology, neurology, endocrinology, anaphylaxis, gastroenterology, toxicology, and environmental emergencies integrating case presentation and emphasizing pharmacotherapeutics. Upon completion, students should be able to recognize and manage frequently encountered medical conditions based upon initial patient impression. Prerequisites: EMS 120, EMS 122, EMS 130, EMS 131

EMS 260: Advanced Trauma Emergencies
Credits: 2 (1 Class, 1 Lab) This course provides in-depth study of trauma including pharmacological interventions for conditions frequently encountered in the prehospital setting and is required for paramedic certification. Topics include hemorrhage control, shock, burns, and trauma to head, spine, soft tissue, thoracic, abdominal, and musculoskeletal areas with case presentations utilized for special problem situations. Upon completion, students should be able to recognize and manage trauma situations based upon patient impressions and should meet requirements of BTLS or PHTLS courses. Prerequisites: EMS 120, EMS 122, EMS 130, EMS 131

EMS 270: Life Span Emergencies
Credits: 3 (2 Class, 1 Lab) This course, required for paramedic certification, covers medical/ethical/legal issues and the spectrum of age-specific emergencies from conception through death. Topics include gynecological, obstetrical, neonatal, pediatric, and geriatric emergencies and pharmacological therapeutics. Upon completion, students should be able to recognize and treat age-specific emergencies and certify at the Pediatric Life Support Provider level of the American Heart Association guidelines. Prerequisites: EMS 120, EMS 130, EMS 131

EMS 280: EMS Bridging Course
Credits: 3 (2 Class, 1 Lab) This course is designed to bridge the knowledge gained in a continuing education paramedic program with the knowledge gained in an EMS curriculum program. Topics include patient assessment, documentation, twelve-lead ECG analysis, thrombolytic agents, cardiac pacing, and advanced pharmacology. Upon completion, students should be able to perform advanced patient assessment documentation using the problem-oriented medical record format and manage complicated patients.

EMS 285: EMS Capstone
Credits: 2 (1 Class, 1 Lab) This course provides an opportunity to demonstrate problem-solving skills as a team leader in simulated patient scenarios and is required for paramedic certification. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, integration of didactic and psychomotor skills, and effective performance in simulated emergency situations. Upon completion, students should be able to recognize and appropriately respond to a variety of EMS-related events. Prerequisites: EMS 220, EMS 250, EMS 260