If you go school to become an EMT, you will need to take a State approved course, and pass multiple written and practical exams. Becoming Licensed/Certified as an EMT varies by each State, and most states require that you to initially be certified by the Nationally Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT.ORG) . In order to become certified by the NREMT, you will need to pass their cognitive exam (computer based test), and practical exams.
EMT Practical Tests and Written Exams
In order to pass you State approved course and the NREMT exams, you will need to pass multiple written exams, and be able to pass a psychomotor exam.
EMT Cognitive Exam
The written exams for your State course and the NREMT (computer based test, or CBT) will have questions regarding:
- Scenario Based Questions
- Airway, Respiration and Ventilation
- EMS Operations
- Medical, Obstetrics, and Gynecology
- Trauma
When you take the Computer Based Test (CBT) for the NREMT, you will have 3 attempts to pass it (there is a fee to take it every time), and if you do not pass it after 3 attempts, you will need to take remedial training before you attempt it again.
EMT Psychomotor Exam
You will need to pass all of the psychomotor exam scenarios for your EMT class and the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT allows 3 attempts before remedial training is required). You will be put in a scenario, and be responsible for patient care for:
- Trauma Assessment
- Medical Assessment
- Apneic Patient
- Oxygen Administration
- Spinal Immobilization
- Bleeding Control/Schock Management
- Cardiac Arrest/AED
- Joint Immobilization
- Long Bone Immobilization
You will not know what kind of Trauma or Medical patient you will get during your assessments. You will be required to assess the situation correctly, and intervene as necessary (example: assisting with an Albuterol inhaler during an allergic reaction with wheezing). You should be able to practice these scenarios multiple times during your State approved course.
Conclusion
If you would like more information on how to become an EMT, you can read my article here about how to become certified in all 50 States. For gear I recommend for new EMTs, read my article here. Thanks for Reading!