Basic EMT Course

Lesson 1 • History and Structure of EMS

Traces EMS development from early transport systems to modern tiered response. Provides context for the EMT's role within a coordinated emergency care system.

Lesson 2 • Well-Being of the EMT

Addresses physical safety, stress management, and infection control for providers. Ensures students can sustain performance and protect themselves on the job.

Lesson 3 • EMT Roles and Responsibilities

Defines the EMT's professional duties, scope of practice, and ethical obligations. Anchors all subsequent clinical content in professional accountability.

Lesson 1 • Digestive, Endocrine, and Urinary Systems

Reviews abdominal organs, hormonal regulation, and renal function relevant to medical emergencies. Prepares students to recognize signs of metabolic and abdominal crises.

Lesson 2 • Respiratory and Cardiovascular Systems

Explains gas exchange, circulation, and perfusion as they relate to life-threatening emergencies. Directly supports airway and cardiac care chapters.

Lesson 3 • Body Organization and Terminology

Introduces anatomical planes, regions, and directional terms used in clinical communication. Provides the language framework for all patient assessment chapters.

Lesson 1 • Manual Airway Techniques

Teaches head-tilt chin-lift, jaw thrust, and foreign body obstruction maneuvers. These are the first-line interventions before any adjunct device is used.

Lesson 2 • Artificial Ventilation Techniques

Trains mouth-to-mask and bag-valve-mask ventilation for apneic patients. Prepares students to support breathing until advanced care is available.

Lesson 3 • Airway Adjuncts and Suctioning

Covers oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways plus suction device operation. Builds on manual techniques to maintain a clear, patent airway.

Lesson 4 • Airway Anatomy and Physiology Review

Reinforces upper and lower airway structures critical for selecting management techniques. Links anatomical knowledge to hands-on airway interventions.

Lesson 1 • History Taking

Develops structured interviewing using SAMPLE and OPQRST frameworks. Accurate history guides differential field impressions and hospital handoff.

Lesson 2 • Primary Assessment

Covers the ABCDE approach to identify and correct immediate life threats. Establishes patient priority and transport decision within the first minutes.

Lesson 3 • Reassessment and Documentation

Establishes ongoing monitoring intervals and accurate prehospital care report writing. Ensures continuity of care and legal accountability for all interventions.

Lesson 4 • Secondary Assessment and Vital Signs

Teaches head-to-toe physical examination and accurate vital sign measurement. Findings refine the field impression and detect hidden injuries or conditions.

Lesson 1 • Diabetic and Endocrine Emergencies

Distinguishes hypoglycemia from hyperglycemia and guides oral glucose administration. Reinforces the link between metabolic physiology and field treatment decisions.

Lesson 2 • Neurological Emergencies

Trains recognition of stroke, seizure, and altered mental status using validated tools. Rapid identification enables time-sensitive interventions and hospital notification.

Lesson 3 • Cardiac Emergencies and CPR

Covers recognition of acute coronary syndromes, cardiac arrest management, and AED use. Directly applies airway and assessment skills to the highest-acuity medical scenario.

Lesson 4 • Respiratory Emergencies

Identifies and treats dyspnea from asthma, COPD, pulmonary edema, and pneumothorax. Builds on airway chapter skills to manage breathing compromise in the field.

Lesson 1 • Trauma Assessment and Kinematics

Applies mechanism of injury analysis to predict injury patterns before physical examination. Guides index of suspicion and resource activation at trauma scenes.

Lesson 2 • Soft Tissue and Musculoskeletal Injuries

Covers wound classification, dressing selection, and splinting of fractures and dislocations. Prevents further injury and reduces pain during transport.

Lesson 3 • Hemorrhage Control and Shock

Teaches direct pressure, wound packing, tourniquet application, and shock recognition. Addresses the leading cause of preventable prehospital trauma death.

Lesson 4 • Burns, Environmental, and Special Trauma

Manages thermal, chemical, and electrical burns plus hypothermia, hyperthermia, and drowning. Expands trauma competency to environmental and multi-mechanism injury scenarios.

Lesson 1 • Obstetric and Gynecological Emergencies

Prepares students to manage normal and complicated deliveries and pregnancy-related emergencies. Ensures competent care for two patients simultaneously in high-stress situations.

Lesson 2 • Geriatric Emergencies

Addresses age-related physiological changes, polypharmacy, and atypical presentations in older adults. Prevents underestimation of injury severity and medication-related complications.

Lesson 3 • Pediatric Emergencies

Covers age-specific anatomy, vital sign norms, and common pediatric medical and trauma emergencies. Builds confidence in managing patients whose presentations differ significantly from adults.

Lesson 1 • Hazardous Materials Awareness

Identifies hazmat scene indicators, safety zones, and EMT operational limits at contaminated scenes. Prevents provider exposure while enabling appropriate patient decontamination support.

Lesson 2 • Ambulance Operations and Safety

Covers vehicle inspection, safe driving principles, and air medical coordination. Ensures students operate the ambulance as a critical piece of emergency equipment.

Lesson 3 • Medical Incident Command

Introduces the incident command system and EMT roles within a unified command structure. Prepares students to function effectively in multi-agency emergency responses.

Lesson 4 • Rescue Awareness and Extrication

Covers vehicle extrication phases, confined space hazards, and water rescue awareness. Defines the EMT's medical support role during technical rescue operations.