In reviewing the Arizona Department of Education’s, (ADE) career and technical education (CTE) program standards for the emergency medical services (EMT), it became clear that the State of Arizona operates from an abbreviated version of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standards. The curriculum for EMT is a national standard curriculum and is the foundation of EMS prehospital training. In addition, the new curriculum parallels the recommendations of the National EMS Education. The ADE, uses the National Registry for Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) testing as the summative assessment upon completion of the program secondary and post-secondary schools. Although the ADE has a significant role in the continuous success of EMT programs and curriculum, the students and educational programs are directed by the Arizona Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (AZBEMS). To determine if an educational …show more content…
Today, the books are anywhere from 1800 to 2600 pages and contain so many more standards that have been developed over the span of 30 years. It is this growth that propelled the EMT program from a volunteer style pastime, into a full-fledged vocation and as a result augmented the standards. Before I critique the Arizona standards, it is important to know that the EMT curriculum is a core curriculum of minimum required information, to be presented within a 110-hour training program. It is recognized that there is additional specific education that will be required of the EMT who operates in the field, i.e. ambulance driver training, heavy and light rescue, basic extrication, special needs, and so on. It is also standard that this information might differ from locality to locality, and that each training program, or system should identify and provide special training