Physical and Cognitive Expectations of an EMS student
EMS is a practical discipline with cognitive, sensory, affective, and psychomotor performance requirements. You will be an excellent candidate for this field if you like to be active and enjoy working with a variety of people. Good communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills are also important to EMS providers. The profession is a physically demanding one. Tasks on a typical day include preparing and maintaining the ambulance for the shift, lifting and assisting patients, transporting patients on stretchers, lifting and loading stretchers into the ambulance and driving an ambulance or providing patient care. The environment is constantly changing, fast paced and stressful. The provider must respond to changing patient conditions and differentiate between the sick and not sick patients.
Technical Standards for EMS Students
Because of the requirements inherent in performing emergency medical procedures in clinical and field environments, the following technical standards have been defined for EMS students. You are advised to read the standards carefully and to seek clarification if necessary.
Cognitive
• Recall, collect, and integrate information from a variety of sources.
• Measure, calculate, and reason data.
• Problem-solve and think critically in order to apply knowledge and skill.
• Communicate verbally, and through reading and writing, with individuals from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.
• Relay information in oral and written form effectively, accurately, reliably, and intelligibly to individual groups, using the English language.
• Report verbally and in writing patient information to members of the health care team.
Physical
• Transfer patients in and out of bed from stretchers and wheelchairs.
• Perform CPR.
• Lift or move patients, push or pull, of various weights.
• Reach to shoulder or higher level to place or access equipment.
• Bend or squat to access equipment below bed level.
• Step up to heights of 14 inches.
• Maintain balance from any position.
• Carry equipment and supplies to patient’s bedside, including stretchers.
• Maneuver in small areas.
• Manipulate small equipment and containers, such as syringes, ampules, vials, and medication packages, to administer medication.
• Dispose of needles in sharps containers
• Complete assigned clinical and field rotations (8-12 hours)
Sensory
• Detect changes in skin color or condition.
• Detect changes in skin temperature.
• Detect sounds related to bodily functions using a stethoscope.
• Detect unusual odors of bodily fluids.
• Detect anatomical abnormalities, such as subcutaneous emphysema and crepitation.
Behavioral
• Exercise judgement and adapt to rapidly changing patient care environments.
• Accept accountability for actions that result in patient errors.
• Demonstrate emotional stability to function effectively under stress and adapt to changes.
• Possess attributes that include compassion, empathy, altruism, integrity, honesty, responsibility, and tolerance.