Emergency Medical Technician Technical Standards

All individuals, including persons with disabilities, who wish to participate in the emergency medical technician program, must be able to perform specific technical functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

The following information outlines the requirements, abilities, and behavioral characteristics necessary for admission, continued participation, and completion of the emergency medical technician program at Harford Community College (HCC). The Functional Job Analysis for EMTs describes additional specifications. A copy of this document is available by accessing www.nhtsa.gov which is the National Highway traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) web site.

Students should consult with the non-credit allied health coordinator to discuss any individual situation that may prevent his or her ability to meet the admission criteria or the essential technical standards. requests for reasonable accommodations  will be considered. It is ultimately the student's responsibility to meet these essential qualifications for participation in the program.

In order to meet the requirements for admission, perform the skills/duties of a dental assistant, and assume the responsibilities of a direct care provider the student must:

• Be at least 18 years old.

• Possess a minimum of a high school diploma or a GED.

• Review the program technical standards and ask questions if unfamiliar with the required activities or functions.

• Decide if he or she has any limitations that may restrict or interfere with the satisfactory performance of any of the requirements.

• Successfully complete any prerequisite courses such as, not limited to, HIPAA Confidentiality and Ethics, Human Anatomy & Physiology, Medical Terminology, and Math for Healthcare Careers.

• Indicate willingness to practice direct care skills in a labortory setting by role-playing both the emergancy medical technician and the patient/client

• Recognize the potential for exposure to blood borne pathogens, ionizing radiation, and potentially hazardous materials.

• Meet the specifications of the Functional Job Analysis for EMTs available at www.nhtsa.gov which is the web site for the National Highway traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) web site.

• Visual—Able to drive an ambulance to the scene of injury or illness, inspect patient and area, read maps, read small print on medication/prescription containers, read drug reference manuals, and to administer treatment.


 

• Hearing—Able to hear and verbally respond to dispatcher's message on phone/radio; understand faculty, staff, peers, patients/clients, families, and healthcare workers; interpret conversations; and assess/monitor patients/clients; and interpret other sounds that may indicate additional help is on its way or other persons who cannot be seen may be hurt or injured.
   

• Talking—Able to respond to patients, physicians, healthcare workers, and others through hearing. May be required to shout for help and additional assistance.
   

• Smell—Able to tolerate unpleasant odors related to infections, bad breath, etc.
   

• Physical Demands—Requires good physical stamina, endurance, and the ability to:

  1. Perform direct care and move quickly from place to place over uneven terrain without jeopardizing the patient's, the EMT's or other individuals safety.

  2. Stand, walk, and sit.

  3. Lift, carry, push and pull in excess of 125 pounds.

  4. Climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl to gain access to sire of emergancy.

  5. Reach, handle, finger, and feel to assess pulse, breathing, perform CPR, lift patients, operate equipment, and perform procedures/assessments.
      

• Motor Skills (fine and gross)—Perform multiple motor tasks simultaneously. Possess fine and gross motor skills sufficient to handle equipment and provide safe and effective client care; keen sense of touch; awareness of self in relationship to surroundings, steady arm and hand movements while manipulating objects or assisting patients/clients.

1. Perform CPR and other basic life support functions.

2. Operate and manipulate equipment such as, but not limited to treadmills, exercise bikes, wheelchairs, and strechers.

3. Push/pull beds; transport patients/clients.

4. Lift and move patients/ clients data.
    

• Tactile–Possess a keen sense of touch and the ability to interpret tactile sensations to perceive information such as, but not limited to texture, mobility, firmness, strength, and temperature.

1. Distinguish pulse rate, rhythm, and strength of palpation.

2. Detect changes in skin/tissue temperature and integrity.
    

• Communication—Able to communicate in English, both orally and in writing, with faculty, staff, peers, clients, families, and healthcare workers.

1. Speak English in a clear and easily understood manner.

2. Write in a manner that is legible.

3. Use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

4. Read and comprehend written material in English at a minimum of the 9^th grade level.

5. Observe non-verbal communication.

6. Develop patient rapport, interviews hostile patients, maintain safe distance, and recognize and utilize communication unique to diverse multicultural groups and ages within those groups.
    

• Intellectual and Cognitive Abilities—Able to learn, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, integrate, synthesize, and use data/information.

1. Interpret, prioritize, problem solve, and demonstrate critical thinking.

2. Convert numerical data from one measurement system to another.

3. Respond to emergencies by processing information consistently, accurately, and quickly.

4. Possess the ability to self-evaluate.
    

• Behavioral and Social Attributes—Possess the emotional health required to use intellectual abilities fully such as exercising good judgment, promptly completing all responsibilities associated with client care, and developing mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with faculty, staff, peers, clients, families, and healthcare workers.

1. Tolerate physically taxing workloads and function effectively under stress.

2. Maintain composure while continuing to function appropriately and professionally in myriad situations.

3. Adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients/clients.

4. Demonstrate team playing, compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation during the education process.

5. Recognize emergencies and be able to take the appropriate action.

6. Accept constructive criticism and respond appropriately by modifying behavior.
    

• Ethical Standards—Demonstrate professional demeanor and behavior. Perform in an ethical manner in all dealings with faculty, staff, peers, clients, families, and healthcare workers regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other status protected by law.
   

• Legal Standards—Submit to a criminal background check and/or drug testing as required by policies of the college, clinical facility, and/or regulatory agency. The student is responsible for any cost.