Paramedic Part 1

Course Number:

EMS 210

Transcript Title:

Paramedic Part 1

Created:

Aug 10, 2022

Updated:

Aug 17, 2022

Total Credits:

9

Lecture Hours:

90

Lecture / Lab Hours:

0

Lab Hours:

0

Satisfies Cultural Literacy requirement:

No

Satisfies General Education requirement:

No

Grading Options

A-F, Audit

Default Grading Options

A-F

Repeats available for credit:

0

Suggested Outcome Assessment Strategies

• Cognitive and psychomotor domains are measured for competency by a combination of written exams and skill demonstration.
• The affective domain is measured for competency using published professional standards.

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

Outcome #1: Demonstrate knowledge of homeostasis as well as the relationship between the stages of the general adaptation syndrome and disease.

• Atrophy and hypertrophy
• Hyperplasia, dysplasia, and metaplasia
• General Adaptation Syndrome
  • Alarm
  • Resistance
  • Exhaustion

Outcome #2: Recognize the physiologic consequences of fluid and electrolyte imbalances and of acid-base imbalances.

• Fluid volume deficit and excess
• Hypernatremia and hyponatremia
• Hyperkalemia and hypokalemia
• Hypercalcemia and hypocalcemia
• Hypophosphatemia and hyperphosphatemia
• Hypermagnesemia and hypomagnesemia
• Respiratory Acidosis and respiratory alkalosis
• Metabolic Acidosis and metabolic alkalosis

Outcome #3: Recognize and manage the various types of shock that may be observed in a patient.

• Central and peripheral shock
  • Cardiogenic
  • Obstructive
  • Hypovolemic
  • Distributive
• Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome

Outcome #4: Demonstrate knowledge of the three types of body defenses against pathogens and the four hypersensitivity responses the body has for immunologic injury.

• Humoral Immune Response
• Cell-Mediated Immune Response
• Inflammatory Response
• Type I:  Immediate Hypersensitivity Reactions
• Type II: Cytotoxic Hypersensitivity
• Type III:  Tissue Injury Caused by Immune Complexes
• Type IV:  Delayed (Cell-Mediated) Hypersensitivity

Outcome #5: Demonstrate knowledge regarding the regulation, classification, and pharmacodynamics of drugs.

• History, regulation and classification of drugs
• Concepts of pharmacokinetics, biotransformation, therapeutic levels and excretion of drugs
• Correct selection, administration and documentation of drugs
• Resupplying drugs according to applicable protocols

Outcome #6: Compute the correct dosage of drugs and safely administer drugs through the various routes.

• Calculate pat’s weight in metric units
• Correlation between mass of a drug with the volume of solution in which drug is suspended
• Correctly calculate prescribed dosage and how to administer it via the solution on hand
• Proper technique for administration of medications:
  • Oral and Mucosal
  • Aerosolized
  • Intramuscular (IM) and Subcutaneous (SQ)
  • Transdermal
  • Intravenous (IV) and Interosseous (IO)
  • Endotracheal (ET)
  • Safety precautions when administering/disposing of drugs
    • Assessing for allergies
    • Utilizing personal protective equipment
    • Disposing of unused drugs
    • Disposing of administration equipment

Outcome #7: Use IV fluids as routes for drug administration, as volume expanders, diuretics and alkalizing agents.

• Osmotic pressure as it relates to the following solutions:
  • Isotonic
  • Hypertonic
  • Hypotonic
• Use of the following solutions based on the needs of the patient:
  • Isotonic
  • Hypertonic
  • Hypotonic
• Calculation and discussion of administration of a fluid bolus based upon the needs of the patient
• IV solutions to act as a transport for medication

Outcome #8: Identify the underlying physiology that is being targeted by respiratory, neurological, and cardiac drugs as well as drugs used in allergic reactions.

• Relationship between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and how they are affected by drugs
• Physiology of receptor sites, including the properties of specific receptor sites, of:
  • Respiratory
  • Neurological
  • Cardiac
  • Immunological systems         

Outcome #9: Demonstrate knowledge of heart anatomy and physiology, conduction, and electrophysiology, and correctly identify the components of an ECG rhythm strip.

• Autonomic Nervous system and the heart
• Electrocardiogram
  • Leads and lead placement
  • 15 and 18-Lead ECGs
• ECG rhythm strip
  • ECG paper
  • P wave
  • PR Interval (PRI)
  • QRS complex
  • ST segment
  • T wave
  • QT interval
  • TP segment
  • R-R interval
  • 5-step interpretation method

Outcome #10: Interpret correctly rhythms originating in the heart.

• SA Node
  • Normal sinus rhythm
  • Sinus bradycardia
  • Sinus tachycardia
  • Sinus dysrhythmia
  • Sinus arrest
  • Sick sinus syndrome
• Atria
  • Premature atrial complex
  • Supraventricular tachycardia
  • Pre-excitation
    • Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW)
    • Lown-Ganong-Levine syndrome
  • Atrial fibrillation
  • Atrial flutter
  • Wandering atrial pacemaker
  • Multifocal tachycardia
• AV junction
  • Premature junctional complex
  • Junctional escape rhythm
  • Accelerated junctional rhythm
    • First-degree AV block
    • Second-degree AV Block Type 1
    • Second-degree AV Block Type 2
    • Third-degree AV Block Type 3
• Ventricle
  • Premature ventricular complex
  • Idioventricular rhythm
  • Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
  • Ventricular tachycardia
  • Ventricular fibrillation
  • Asystole
  • Pulseless Electrical Activity
• Originating artificially
  • Atrial paced
  • Ventricular paced
  • Dual paced

Outcome #11: Apply critical thinking and clinical reasoning to develop a field impressionbased on patient findings and scene dynamics.

• Scene size-up
• Primary survey
• History taking
• Secondary assessment
• Monitoring devices
• Reassessment
• Four corner stones of effective paramedic practice
• Benefits and drawbacks of patient protocols/standing orders and patient care algorithms in EMS
• Distinguishing patients with critical life threats vs serious condition vs minimal/non-life-threatening injuries
• Five stages of critical thinking and thought processing in the pre-hospital setting
• Six-Rs of clinical decision-making

Outcome #12: Maintain a patent airway, adequate mechanical ventilation, and respiration for patients of all ages.

• Infant
• Child
• Adolescent
• Adult

Outcome #13: Devise a comprehensive treatment plan based on assessment findings and thepathophysiology of a patient with various complaints.

• Respiratory
• Cardiac
• Neurologic
• Eyes, ears, nose or throat
• Abdominal or gastrointestinal

Suggested Texts and Materials

Emergency: Care in the Streets, Nancy Caroline, ISBN-10:  128-410-4885