Course Catalog

EMS Professions, Diploma (EP12) Diploma

Campus Locations: Valdosta, Coffee

Students who complete the EMS Professions diploma will be able to fluidly move into the paramedicine program at the diploma level. Successful completion of the program allows the graduate to take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians AEMT certification examination and to apply for Georgia licensure as an AEMT. The primary focus of the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician is to provide basic and limited advanced emergency medical care and transportation for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical system. This individual possesses the basic knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care and transportation. Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians function as part of a comprehensive EMS response, under medical oversight. Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians perform interventions with the basic and advanced equipment typically found on an ambulance. The Advanced Emergency Medical Technician is a link from the scene to the emergency health care system. Criminal background checks and drug screens may be required based on the requirements for participation in clinical experiences.

Program Outcomes: Upon graduation, students will have acquired the academic, occupational, and professional knowledge necessary for job acquisition, retention, and career advancement.

Careers: Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians (AEMTs)

Start Terms:

Ben Hill-Irwin Campus: Spring 2024, Spring 2025
Valdosta Campus: Spring 2024, Spring 2025

Length of Program: 4 Terms

Admission Requirements:

General College Admissions and Placement
Be at least 18 years of age

Program-Specific Admission Requirements:

To enroll in EMSP classes, students must maintain good academic standing at Wiregrass; those on academic warning, probation, or suspension are ineligible. Additionally, all registration holds must be cleared for registration eligibility.
EMT-Basic or proof of successful completion of a TCSG EMT Program is required to begin the program.

Program Information

All programs within the EMS/Paramedicine department program operates on a cohort basis, requiring students to take EMSP classes as prescribed by the program.
Health Science students must meet additional requirements. See the Health Science Program Advising Packet for more information.
Clinical experience is required to complete the program, and students must meet all clinical requirements defined by the clinical facility. No student will be denied admissions to a program due to these requirements; however, the clinical partner requirement may prevent a student from completing the program. Clinical requirements may include, but not limited to, some or all of the following: American Heart Association Provider CPR certification, physical examination or proof of ability to perform required duties, Tuberculin skin test, up-to-date immunizations, mandatory vaccinations, and/or titers. A criminal background check and drug screen are required prior to performing the clinical rotation. Students unable to meet clinical requirements may not be able to graduate from the program. Alternate clinical locations may not be offered or available if a student is unable to meet clinical requirements.

Curriculum Outline (42 hours)

General Education Core	9
ENGL 1010Fundamentals of English I Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Diploma Level Reading and Writing Scores OR READ 0090 and/or ENGL 0090 w/ a “C” or better Co-requisite(s): None Emphasizes the development and improvement of written and oral communication abilities. Topics include analysis of writing, applied grammar and writing skills, editing and proofreading skills, research skills, and oral communication skills.	3
MATH 1012Foundations of Mathematics Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Diploma Level Math Scores or MATH 0090 w/ a “C” or better Co-requisite(s): None Emphasizes the application of basic mathematical skills used in the solution of occupational and technical problems. Topics include fractions, decimals, percents, ratios and proportions, measurement and conversion, geometric concepts, technical applications, and basic statistics.	3
PSYC 1010Basic Psychology Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 3 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): None Co-requisite(s): None Presents basic concepts within the field of psychology and their application to everyday human behavior, thinking, and emotion. Emphasis is placed on students understanding basic psychological principles and their application within the context of family, work and social interactions. Topics include an overview of psychology as a science, the nervous and sensory systems, learning and memory, motivation and emotion, intelligence, lifespan development, personality, psychological disorders and their treatment, stress and health, and social psychology.	3

Occupational Courses	33
ALHS 1011Structure and Function of the Human Body Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 5 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None Focuses on basic normal structure and function of the human body. Topics include general plan and function of the human body, integumentary system, skeletal system, muscular system, nervous and sensory systems, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, lymphatic system, respiratory system, digestive system, urinary system, and reproductive system.	5
ALHS 1090Medical Terminology for Allied Health Sciences Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 2 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): None Co-requisite(s): None Introduces the elements of medical terminology. Emphasis is placed on building familiarity with medical words through knowledge of roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Topics include: origins (roots, prefixes, and suffixes), word building, abbreviations and symbols, and terminology related to the human anatomy.	2
EMSP 1110Introduction to the EMT Profession Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 2 Lab 2 - 2 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course serves as the introductory course to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) profession. It orients the student to the prehospital care environment, issues related to the provision of patient care in both in-hospital and out-of-hospital circumstances. It further provides foundational information upon which subsequent curriculum content is based so that successful completion of this content increases the potential for success in subsequent courses and should allow students to apply the fundamental knowledge, skills, and attitudes gained in order to effectively communicate and function safely, ethically and professionally within the emergency medical services environment. Topics include: Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Terminology, Pathophysiology, CPR for HCP, EMS Systems, Research, Workforce Safety and Wellness, Documentation, EMS System Communication, Therapeutic Communication, Medical/Legal and Ethics, Public Health, Principles of Safely Operating a Ground Ambulance, Incident Management, Multiple Casualty Incidents, Air Medical, Vehicle Extrication, HazMat, MCI due to Terrorism/Disaster, and Life Span Development.	3
EMSP 1120EMT Assessment/Airway Management & Pharmacology Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 2 Lab 2 - 2 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course prepares students for initial scene management and assessment of patients as well as management of the airway. Introduction to pharmacology is also covered. Includes application of scene information and patient assessment findings (scene size up, primary and secondary assessment, patient history, and reassessment) to guide emergency management. Topics include: Scene Size-Up; Primary Assessment; History Taking; Secondary Assessment; Monitoring Devices; Reassessment; Airway Management; Respiration; Artificial Ventilation; Principles of Pharmacology; Medication Administration; and Emergency Medications.	3
EMSP 1130Medical Emergencies for the EMT Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 2 Lab 2 - 2 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course integrates pathophysiological principles and assessment findings to formulate a field impression and implement the treatment plan of cases involving non-traumatic medical emergencies. Topics include: Medical Overview; Neurology; Abdominal and Gastrointestinal Disorders; Immunology; Infectious Disease; Endocrine Disorders; Psychiatric; Cardiovascular; Toxicology; Respiratory; Hematology; Genitourinary/Renal; Non-Traumatic Musculoskeletal Disorders; Diseases of the Eyes, Ears, Nose, and Throat; and Medical Assessments.	3
EMSP 1140Special Patient Populations Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 2 Lab 2 - 2 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course provides a fundamental knowledge of growth, development, and aging and assessment findings to provide basic emergency care and transportation for a patient with special needs. Topics include: Obstetrics, Gynecology, Neonatal Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Patients with Special Challenges, and Special Patient Populations - Assessments.	3
EMSP 1150Shock & Trauma for the EMT Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 2 Lab 2 - 2 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course is designed to prepare the EMT student to apply pre-hospital emergency care to patients who have sustained injuries resulting from various mechanisms of injury including: Abdominal and Genitourinary trauma; Orthopedic trauma; Soft Tissue trauma; Head, Facial, Neck, and Spine Trauma and Nervous System trauma. Special considerations in trauma related injuries will be presented including the physiology of shock as well as multi-system trauma and environmental emergencies. Topics include: Shock and Resuscitation; Trauma Overview; Bleeding; Chest Trauma; Abdominal and Genitourinary Trauma; Orthopedic Trauma; Soft Tissue Trauma; Head, Facial, Neck, and Spine Trauma; Nervous System Trauma; Special Considerations in Trauma; Environmental Emergencies; and Multi-System Trauma.	3
EMSP 1160Clinical & Practical Applications for the EMT Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 0 Lab 2 - 0 Lab 3 - 3 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course provides supervised clinical experience in various clinical settings as well as opportunities to demonstrate critical thinking skills and assessment based management techniques through competency based evaluations relevant to the practice of an EMT. Topics include: Clinicals and Assessment Based Management.	1
EMSP 1510Advanced Concepts for the AEMT Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 2 Lab 2 - 2 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course serves as the introductory course to the advanced level practice of the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT). It expands on the information attained at the EMT level. Topics include: EMS Systems; Documentation; EMS System Communication; Therapeutic Communication; Principles of Pharmacology; Medication Administration; Emergency Medications; Airway Management; Respiration; Artificial Ventilation; Primary Assessment; and Secondary Assessment.	3
EMSP 1520Advanced Patient Care for the AEMT Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 2 Lab 2 - 2 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course provides opportunities to apply fundamental knowledge of basic and selected advanced emergency care and transportation based on assessment findings for the following: an acutely ill patient; a patient in shock, respiratory failure or arrest, cardiac failure or arrest, and post resuscitation management; and an acutely injured patient. In addition it provides a fundamental knowledge of growth, development, and aging and assessment findings to provide basic and selected advanced emergency care and transportation for a patient with special needs. Topics include: Geriatrics; Patients with Special Challenges; Medical Overview; Neurology; Immunology; Infectious Disease; Endocrine Disorders; Cardiovascular; Toxicology; Respiratory; Hematology; Genitourinary/Renal; Shock and Resuscitation; Chest Trauma; Abdominal and Genitourinary Trauma; Orthopedic Trauma; Head, Facial, Neck, and Spine Trauma: Nervous System Trauma; and Integration of Medical/Trauma Assessments.	3
EMSP 1530Clinical Applications for the AEMT Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 0 Lab 2 - 2 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course provides supervised clinical experience in various clinical settings. Topics include: Clinicals.	1
EMSP 1540Clinical and Practical Applications for the AEMT Weekly Contact Hours: Lecture - 0 Lab 2 - 6 Lab 3 - 0 Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission Co-requisite(s): None This course provides supervised clinical experience in various clinical settings as well as opportunities to demonstrate critical thinking skills and assessment based management techniques through competency based evaluations relevant to the practice of an AEMT. Topics include: Clinicals and Assessment Based Management.	3