Emergency Medical Services: First Responders

Course Number:
EMS 120
Transcript Title:
Emergency Medical Services: First Responders
Created:
Aug 10, 2022
Updated:
Jul 11, 2023
Total Credits:
3
Lecture Hours:
20
Lecture / Lab Hours:
20
Lab Hours:
0
Satisfies Cultural Literacy requirement:
No
Satisfies General Education requirement:
No
Grading Options
A-F, P/NP, Audit
Default Grading Options
A-F
Repeats available for credit:
0
Prerequisites

Must be 16 years of age

Course Description

Trains those who are usually the first person at the scene of trauma or medical emergencies, including law enforcement, fire department personnel, etc. Develops the knowledge and skills to provide basic care for trauma, medical and environmental emergencies; evaluation of scene and patients; and appropriate access and use of the Emergency Medical Services System.  Must be 16 years of age. Audit available.

Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Apply safe working practices in medical and trauma emergencies.
  2. Use industry accepted verbal and written communication skills in transmitting patient care findings and treatment.
  3. Demonstrate correct application of patient assessment and management skills given patient scenarios and following current field protocols.

Suggested Outcome Assessment Strategies

Student mastery is evaluated by both written and practical examinations, quizzes, written/oral reports, and projects.

Course Activities and Design

The determination of teaching strategies used in the delivery of outcomes is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: lecture, small group/forum discussion, flipped classroom, dyads, oral presentation, role play, simulation scenarios, group projects, service learning projects, hands-on lab, peer review/workshops, cooperative learning (jigsaw, fishbowl), inquiry based instruction, differentiated instruction (learning centers), graphic organizers, etc.

Course Content

Course content is determined by Oregon Department of Human Services Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Systems Section, which follows National Standards based on USDOT NHTSA curricula.

Themes, Concepts, and Issues

  1. EMS Systems
  2. Legal and Ethical Issues
  3. First Responder Well-Being
  4. Human Body
  5. Lifting and Moving Patients
  6. Airway Management
  7. Patient Assessment, including calculation/computation of vital signs
  8. Musculoskeletal Injuries
  9. Childbirth
  10. Pediatrics
  11. Gaining Access and Hazards on Scene
  12. Multiple-Casualty Incidents, Triage and Incident Management

Skills

  1. Patient assessment
  2. Basic Life Support
  3. Splinting
  4. Bandaging, dressing and bleeding control
  5. Airway maintenance
  6. Spinal immobilization
  7. Communications and documentation
  8. Lifting and moving patients