NORTH COAST EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES                              Policy # 4502

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES                                                                  

Subject:            Certification

                        EMT-II Certification Process

I.          Authority and Reference (incorporated herein by reference)

            A.        Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code.

            B.         California Code of Regulations, Title 22.

            C.        North Coast Emergency Medical Services Policies and Procedures.

II.         Purpose

      To establish an EMT-II certification policy and procedure including initial certification, recertification and challenge certification within the North Coast EMS region, consistent with California state regulations.

III.       Initial EMT-II Certification Procedure

            A.        General eligibility criteria:

  1.   Applicant must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time of submitting request for EMT-II certification.

2.   Applicant must document successful completion of a California EMS-approved EMT-II training program within no more than two (2) years prior to applying for EMT-II certification.

3.   Applicant must document eligibility to enter the above EMT-II Training Program.

4.   Applicant must document a current CPR for the Health Care Professional certificate.

5.   Applicant must submit a completed North Coast EMS EMT-II certification application, including signatures of base hospital Prehospital Care Medical Director (PCMD), Prehospital Care Nurse Coordinator (PCNC), and all of the North Coast EMS-approved EMT-II service providers where applicant is employed or volunteers as an EMT-II.

            6.         Applicant must complete a statement that (s)he is not precluded from certification for

                        reasons defined in Section 1798.200 of the Health and Safety Code.

            7.         Applicant must submit detailed documentation of previous convictions of any crime

other than a minor traffic violation.

            8.         Applicant must submit payment of the EMT-II certification fee and any necessary

testing fees.

B.   After the above listed documentation has been reviewed and approved by North Coast EMS, applicant will receive permission, in writing, to begin the “new personnel” orientation process.  This process includes:

1.   Applicant must document successful completion of the new personnel orientation with a North Coast EMS-approved EMT-II service provider.

2.   Applicant must document a minimum of five (5) evaluated LALS field patient contacts with an approved EMT-II service provider evaluated by a North Coast EMS-approved Field Training Officer.

3.   Applicant must document a score of 80% or above on the North Coast EMS EMT-II written and skills certification examinations within one (1) year prior to applying for EMT-II certification.

4.   Applicant must document training in all North Coast EMS-approved EMT-II expanded scope of practice.

5.         Applicant must obtain training and be tested on all North Coast EMS-approved

                                    EMT-II expanded scope of practice not previously trained and tested to utilize.

C.  Certification as an EMT-II shall be for a maximum of two (2) years from the date applicant satisfactorily completes the certification examinations.  The effective date of certification shall be the date applicant satisfactorily completes all certification requirements and has applied for certification.  The certification expiration date will be the final day of the final month of the two (2) year period.

IV.       EMT-II Recertification Procedure

            A.        General eligibility criteria:

                        1.         Applicant must document current North Coast EMS EMT-II certification.

                        2.         Applicant must document a current CPR for the Health Care Professional certificate.

            3.   Applicant must document successful completion of certification maintenance requirements as stated in North Coast EMS policies and California state law.  The CE credit must be within limitations set forth in the EMS Authority’s CE Guidelines and/or California state laws and must be completed within the last twenty-four (24) months prior to application for recertification.  CE requirements include:

                  a.         Attendance at no less than six (6) Field Care Audits (FCAs) per year.

b.   Periodic training sessions in basic and/or limited advanced life support knowledge, when added with the FCA attendance equals no less than forty-eight (48) hours.

                  c.      Monthly demonstration of selected skills.

4.   Applicant must document a score of 80% or above on the North Coast EMS EMT-II written certification examination within one (1) year prior to applying for EMT-II recertification.

5.   Applicant must document a score of 80% or above on the North Coast EMS EMT-II skills certification examinations within twenty-four (24) months prior to applying for EMT-II recertification, as described below:

a.   As a mechanism for completing IV.A.3.c., the monthly (or quarterly) demonstration of skills and IV.A.5., the North Coast EMS skills certification examination, EMT-II must document successful completion of twelve (12) of the following tests (a minimum of one [1] test from each of the nine [9] sections) as outlined below and found in the North Coast EMS Prehospital Care Provider Seldom Used Skills Refresher Syllabus. 

(1)  Patient Assessment  Chapter 1, Module 3, Section 2, Patient Assessment skills test

(2)  Communications  Chapter 6, Module 4, Use this radio report evaluation form for any of the skills test scenarios within syllabus.

      (3)        Endotracheal Intubation  Chapter 3, Module 5, either Orotracheal and/or

Nasotracheal Intubation skills test.

      (4)        IV Technique  Chapter 5, Module 1, either IV Management and/or External

Jugular skills test.

(5)  Preparation and Administration of Drugs  Chapter 6, Module 3, a minimum of one of the skills tests.

      (6)        Laryngoscope and Magill Forceps  Chapter 3, Module 3, Laryngoscope and

Magill Forceps for Foreign Body Obstruction skills test.

      (7)        Recognition and Interpretation of Cardiac Dysrhythmias, Chapter 6,

Module 3, a minimum of one of the skills tests.

(8)  Cardiac Defibrillation and Cardioversion, Chapter 6, Module 3, a minimum of one of the skills tests.

      (9)        BLS Procedures  Chapter 2, Module 4, Section 2 or 3, Adult or Pediatric Bag

Valve Mask skills test.

b.   The tests above must be provided by EMT-II’s base hospital PCMD, PCNC or his/her designee. 

6.   Applicant must submit a completed North Coast EMS EMT-II certification application, including signatures of base hospital PCMD, PCNC, and all North Coast EMS-approved EMT-II service providers where applicant is employed or volunteers as an EMT‑II.

            7.         Applicant must complete a statement that (s)he is not precluded from certification for

                        reasons defined in Section 1798.200 of the Health and Safety Code.

            8.         Applicant must submit detailed documentation of previous convictions of any crime

other than a minor traffic violation.

9.         Applicant must submit payment of the EMT-II certification fee.

B.   Certification as an EMT-II shall be for a maximum of two (2) years.  The effective date of certification shall be the expiration date of applicant's current certification.  The certification expiration date will be the final day of the final month of the two (2) year period.

      C.  If certification has lapsed, applicant shall be eligible for recertification when all requirements as outlined in the recertification section have been completed.

      D.  If certification has lapsed for two (2) years or more, applicant shall be eligible for recertification when the following requirements are met.

            1.         Applicant must document expired North Coast EMS EMT-II certification.

            2.         Applicant must document a current CPR for the Health Care Professional certificate.

            3.         Applicant must document successful completion of certification maintenance

                  requirements as stated in North Coast EMS policies and California state law.  The CE credit must be within limitations set forth in the EMS Authority’s CE Guidelines and/or California state laws and must be completed within the last twenty-four (24) months prior to application for certificate.  CE requirements include:

a.   Attendance at no less than six (6) FCAs per year.

b.   Periodic training sessions in basic and/or limited advanced life knowledge, when added with the FCA attendance equals no less than forty-eight (48) hours.

                  c.      Monthly demonstration of selected skills.

4.   Applicant must document a score of 80% or above on the North Coast EMS EMT-II written certification examinations within one (1) year prior to applying for EMT-II recertification.

5.   Applicant must document a score of 80% or above on the North Coast EMS EMT-II skills certification examinations within twenty-four (24) months prior to applying for recertification, as described below:

a.   As a mechanism for completing IV.D.3.c., the monthly (or quarterly) demonstration of skills and IV.D.5., the North Coast EMS skills certification examination EMT-II must document successful completion of twelve (12) of the following tests (a minimum of one [1] test from each of the nine [9] sections) found in the North Coast EMS Prehospital Care Provider Seldom Used Skills Refresher Syllabus. 

(1)  Patient Assessment  Chapter 1, Module 3, Section 2, Patient Assessment skills test

(2)  Communications  Chapter 6, Module 4, Use this radio report evaluation form for any of the skills test scenarios within syllabus.

      (3)        Endotracheal Intubation  Chapter 3, Module 5, either Orotracheal and/or

Nasotracheal Intubation skills test.

      (4)        IV Technique  Chapter 5, Module 1, either IV Management and/or External

Jugular skills test.

(5)  Preparation and Administration of Drugs  Chapter 6, Module 3, a minimum of one of the skills tests.

      (6)        Laryngoscope and Magill Forceps  Chapter 3, Module 3, Laryngoscope and

Magill Forceps for Foreign Body Obstruction skills test.

      (7)        Recognition and Interpretation of Cardiac Dysrhythmias, Chapter 6,

Module 3, a minimum of one of the skills tests.

(8)  Cardiac Defibrillation and Cardioversion, Chapter 6, Module 3, a minimum of one of the skills tests.

      (9)        BLS Procedures  Chapter 2, Module 4, Section 2 or 3, Adult or Pediatric Bag

Valve Mask skills test.

b.   The tests must be provided by EMT-II’s base hospital PCMD, PCNC or his/her designee. 

            6.         Individual must submit a completed North Coast EMS EMT-II certification

                  application, including signatures of base hospital PCMD, PCNC, and all of the North Coast EMS-approved EMT-II service providers where applicant is employed or volunteers as an EMT-II.

            7.         Applicant must complete a statement that (s)he is not precluded from certification for

                        reasons defined in Section 1798.200 of the Health and Safety Code.

            8.         Applicant must submit detailed documentation of previous convictions of any crime

other than a minor traffic violation.

            9.         Individual must submit payment of the EMT-II certification fee.

10.       Individual must successfully complete any additional training evaluation required by

the North Coast EMS Medical Director.

B.   After the above listed documentation has been reviewed and approved by North Coast EMS, applicant will receive permission, in writing, to begin the “new personnel” orientation process.  This process includes:

1.   Applicant must document successful completion of the new personnel orientation with a North Coast EMS-approved EMT-II service provider.

2.   Applicant must document a minimum of five (5) evaluated LALS field patient contacts with an approved EMT-II service provider evaluated by a North Coast EMS-approved Field Training Officer.

      C.  Certification as an EMT-II shall be for a maximum of two (2) years from the date individual satisfactorily completes the certification examinations.  The effective date of certification shall be the date applicant satisfactorily completes all certification requirements and has applied for certification.  The certification expiration date will be the final day of the final month of the two (2) year period.

V.  Challenge Procedure

      A.  Eligibility to challenge the EMT-II certification level shall be determined by California state regulations.

      PLEASE NOTE - AN INDIVIDUAL IS NOT ALLOWED TO FUNCTION AS AN EMT-II IN THE NORTH COAST EMS REGION UNLESS (S)HE HOLDS A CURRENT AND VALID NORTH COAST EMS AGENCY-ISSUED EMT-II CERTIFICATION CARD.  AN EXPIRED CERTIFICATE IS NOT CURRENT NOR VALID.  FUNCTIONING WITHOUT A CURRENT AND VALID CERTIFICATE IS GROUNDS FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION AND IS A VIOLATION OF 1797.177 OF THE CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE.