Continuing Education Requirements for EMTs and Paramedics
Becoming an EMT-Basic (EMT-B) or a paramedic requires a comprehensive education and training program designed to equip you with the skills, knowledge, and practical experience to help people as part of a medical team.
Throughout your schooling, you will become able to respond to emergency medical situations and provide immediate, often life-saving care to individuals suffering from unforeseen medical episodes and complications from natural disasters and accidents.
Once your training is complete and you are working as an emergency medical professional, you will gain even more knowledge as your exposure to patients increases. However, this on-the-job learning, while invaluable, is not the final step in your education. As a professional, you will need to meet certain continuing education requirements in order to keep working as an EMT or paramedic in Florida.
Refresher Courses for EMTs and Paramedics
EMT and paramedic’s requirements for continuing education may have some variance from place to place, but it’s safe to expect a certain number of hours in refresher training will be mandated. In Florida, in either an EMT or paramedic role, be sure to remain up-to-date on the expiration of your current license. You can keep track of this information at floridahealth.gov.
When continuing education requirements are due, a refresher course will enable you to meet 30 General Hours requirement and remain a safe and effective healthcare provider. The refresher course you complete must include at least two hours in pediatric emergency.
Refresher courses are an excellent tool not only for your licensing requirements, but also to allow you to continue doing your job at the best level possible. Depending on your location or the department you have been working in, your exposure to certain types of emergency scenes may have been limited, and best practices for response may not come as quickly or easily to you. It is important that you remain well-versed in all types of response protocols, and a refresher course is a sound method to filling in the gaps of your working experience and reconnecting you to your initial education.
Additionally, refresher courses help you stay on the cusp of emerging research and best practice information, which may have changed or been enhanced since your completion of schooling. Learn more about Florida’s Continuing Education Requirements here.
