Understanding EMT-Basic Training

Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) refers to an entry-level certification for emergency medical services.

An EMT-B is qualified to perform basic life supporting services, such as patient assessment, opening airways, restoring breathing, controlling blood loss, and childbirth assistance. EMT-Bs will also be able to treat victims of shock, immobilize fractures, bandage wounds, and care for victims of burns and poison.

Training for an EMT-Basic can be completed in four months at Health Career Institute, but it will be a four-month-long educational experience that will prepare graduates for a career in hospitals, ambulances, and emergency medical units for necessary patient care in pre-hospital emergency settings.

What To Expect in EMT-Basic Training

The EMT-Basic training consists of 150 classroom theory hours that will familiarize the student with the human body, vital signs, and the importance of patient history. Students will also be trained in procedures for bloodborne pathogens and CPR, as well as use of ventilation and oxygen therapy and patient situational control. Another 50 hours will be devoted to hands-on labs.

On-the-job experience rounds out the EMT-Basic training with 50 hours ride and hospital time. Under supervision, the EMT-B student will ride in an ambulance or spend time in the Emergency Room of a hospital and assist in emergency situations.

The clinical portion of the EMT-Basic training program will help students to correlate what they have learned in the classroom with patient care. Equipping graduates with the knowledge and skills they need on the field is the primary goal of EMT-Basic training.

Becoming an EMT-Basic

EMT-Basic training concludes with the National Registered Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) and state licensing exams. The Cognitive Exam covers the material learned in course lectures and provides scenarios involving trauma, respiration, and more. The Psychomotor Exam tests an EMT’s physical capabilities and practical skills required for the job as an EMT-Basic.

The EMT-Basic graduate will have demonstrated an understanding of basic life support knowledge with confidence to utilize their skills in patient encounters.

HCI’s EMT-Basic training follows the most current National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards from the U.S. Department of Transportation and complies with the State of Florida Statute 401 and the F.A.C. 64J of the Florida Department of Health Bureau of EMS.