Health care is an exciting and ever growing profession that can take you many different directions. You can apply the fundamentals you learn here about emergent patient care, stabilization, and disease processes toward becoming an EMT or further health care pursuits. In this specialization you will learn to care for stable and unstable patients before they get to a hospital, how to identify time sensitive diseases, and medical and traumatic conditions that affect both adults and pediatric patients. Course 1 ensures you can assess a scene and prepare to provide care, understand the framework for patient assessment, history of emergency medical services, and the personal requirements to be an EMT. Course 2 addresses airway, breathing and circulation, medications and medication administration that EMTs are allowed to provide, and how to identify a patient having a stroke or diabetic emergency. Course 3 covers skills related to high performance CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, toxicology, and wilderness emergency medicine. Course 4 will offer skills for trauma emergencies and Course 5 focuses pregnancy, infants and pediatrics. Essential skills are demonstrated throughout the specialization. Finally, apply the course materials to real patient scenarios in the Capstone to help prepare you for national registry testing.
Spécialisation Become an EMT
EMT Medical and Trauma Emergency Care. Gain the skills needed to provide first responder emergency medical care
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Compétences que vous acquerrez
Comment fonctionne la Spécialisation
Suivez les cours
Une Spécialisation Coursera est une série de cours axés sur la maîtrise d'une compétence. Pour commencer, inscrivez-vous directement à la Spécialisation ou passez en revue ses cours et choisissez celui par lequel vous souhaitez commencer. Lorsque vous vous abonnez à un cours faisant partie d'une Spécialisation, vous êtes automatiquement abonné(e) à la Spécialisation complète. Il est possible de terminer seulement un cours : vous pouvez suspendre votre formation ou résilier votre abonnement à tout moment. Rendez-vous sur votre tableau de bord d'étudiant pour suivre vos inscriptions aux cours et vos progrès.
Projet pratique
Chaque Spécialisation inclut un projet pratique. Vous devez réussir le(s) projet(s) pour terminer la Spécialisation et obtenir votre Certificat. Si la Spécialisation inclut un cours dédié au projet pratique, vous devrez terminer tous les autres cours avant de pouvoir le commencer.
Obtenir un Certificat
Lorsque vous aurez terminé tous les cours et le projet pratique, vous obtiendrez un Certificat que vous pourrez partager avec des employeurs éventuels et votre réseau professionnel.
Cette Spécialisation compte 6 cours
EMT Foundations
In this course, you will get a thorough introduction to the emergency medical services system, and learn the foundation components to how it works as a whole. You will also learn the nuts and bolts of becoming a healthcare provider, and gain some basic knowledge about the human body. By the end of the course, you will be able to 1) understand the history and components of the EMS system, 2) speak the language of medicine with basic medical terminology, as well as have an understanding of basic human anatomy, 3) understand the different types of communications and how they are specific to EMS, 4) take vital signs and master the normal from the abnormal, and 5) master personal and scene safety, and begin the process of patient assessment.
Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation
In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: 1) assess a basic medical patient 2) describe general pharmacologic principles and the skills associated with medication administration, 3) explain airway physiology, the assessment of the airway and available interventions for airway management, 4) identify, assess and formulate a plan to stabilize a patient with a respiratory emergency for transport, and 5) identify, assess and formulate a plan to stabilize a patient with a cardiovascular emergency for transport. 6) describe the most common neurologic and endocrine emergencies and what you can do for them as an EMT.
Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness
In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: (1) Identify the signs and symptoms associated with a patient in shock, to describe the major categories of shock, to assess a patient with signs of shock and formulate a plan for treatment to stabilize the patient for transport, (2) Identify a patient in cardiac arrest and to describe the components of high performance CPR including placement of an AED, components of quality chest compressions, and options for oxygenation, (3) Identify a patient with under the influence of a drug of abuse or a toxicologic ingestion, assess a patient with a potential or known ingestion, and to formulate a plan for treatment and stabilization for transport including that of a violent patient, (4) Identify the symptoms associated with the most common environmental emergencies including hypothermia, hyperthermia, lightning strike and drowning, to assess patients with an environmental emergency and to describe initial treatment and stabilization for transportation and (5) Understanding your patient's story as well as to think critically about the complaint and symptoms associated with the gastrointestinal track, renal system, and the reproductive system.
Trauma Emergencies and Care
Welcome to Trauma Emergencies and Care. In this course, you will learn about some of the mechanics and physics of trauma on the human body, and how this can cause injury. You will continue to expand your new vocabulary with medical terminology, and learn how to describe the different injuries you may see. You will also learn about the trauma system itself- and when it is important to transport patients to a trauma center. Then we will dive into specific injuries based on what part of the body may be injured- or trauma by system. There are different considerations in the trauma patients depending on both how, and where, they are injured. And of course- you will learn your standard approach to a history and physical exam of the trauma patient. Finally, you will learn about something that you hope to never encounter: mass casualty incidents, or MCI’s. These are occurrences where you may have multiple patients, and there is an organized and specific approach as a provider in these circumstances.
Enseignants
Angela Wright, MD
EMS Fellow
Whitney Barrett, MD
Assistant Professor
Arthur Pliaconis
Paramedic
Kathrine Lopez
ParamedicPartenaires du secteur
À propos de University of Colorado System
Foire Aux Questions
Quelle est la politique de remboursement ?
Puis-je m'inscrire à un seul cours ?
Oui ! Pour commencer, cliquez sur la carte du cours qui vous intéresse et inscrivez-vous. Vous pouvez vous inscrire et terminer le cours pour obtenir un Certificat partageable, ou vous pouvez accéder au cours en auditeur libre afin d'en visualiser gratuitement le contenu. Si vous vous abonnez à un cours faisant partie d'une Spécialisation, vous êtes automatiquement abonné(e) à la Spécialisation complète. Visitez votre tableau de bord d'étudiant(e) pour suivre vos progrès.
Une aide financière est-elle possible ?
Puis-je suivre le cours gratuitement ?
Ce cours est-il vraiment accessible en ligne à 100 % ? Dois-je assister à certaines activités en personne ?
Ce cours est entièrement en ligne : vous n'avez donc pas besoin de vous présenter physiquement dans une salle de classe. Vous pouvez accéder à vos vidéos de cours, lectures et devoirs en tout temps et en tout lieu, par l'intermédiaire du Web ou de votre appareil mobile.
Puis-je obtenir des crédits universitaires si je réussis la Spécialisation ?
Cette Spécialisation n'est pas associée à des crédits universitaires, mais certaines universités peuvent décider d'accepter des Certificats de Spécialisation pour des crédits. Vérifiez-le auprès de votre établissement pour en savoir plus.
What do I have to do to become an EMT?
Healthcare is one of the fastest growing career fields throughout the world, and offers tremendous job opportunities for personal growth and economic advancement. As technologies advance and as the elderly increasingly make up a greater percentage of the global population, the need for a talented and educated healthcare workforce is projected to exist well into the foreseeable future.
One of the most successful strategies for entering this field has been through training as a pre-hospital caretaker, i.e. in emergency medical services. Its accessible curriculum allows a basic understanding of human physiology and hands-on skills to approach basic emergencies in a very short period of study. Specifically, successful completion of this course will impart the knowledge and skills to approach and assist the sick or injured patient, and a basic understanding of human pathophysiology and introductory concepts to resuscitation. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s) have gone on to work as paramedics, nurses, doctors, in hospital leadership and as healthcare company CEOs, as well as firefighters and other emergency responding personnel. We are thrilled to bring this educational opportunity to you through a Coursera specialization. The faculty of the highly regarded Denver Health Paramedic Division will cover most of what you need to know to be a Emergency Medical Technician. In just 26 weeks you will be equipped with the knowledge, skills and critical insights to propel you toward a career in healthcare!
What can I learn from this become an EMT specialization?
This course brings to you expert instruction and up to date curriculum from practicing front line paramedics and emergency physicians. We deliver this content in an engaging, flexible and efficient manner. However, becoming an EMT still requires some hands-on skills with in-person instructor evaluation, this course alone does not qualify you to become a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and this course alone DOES NOT qualify you to take care of patients.
Why should I take this specialization (or any of these courses)?
1) If you are looking for an introductory curriculum to becoming a healthcare provider or are interested in learning more about health care delivery this is a great course for you! This course provides an excellent overview (or review for those with previous healthcare experience) of a practical approach to a sick or injured patient. It also provides an excellent foundation for further study in health professions and potentially supports further application to a health professional schools (Nursing, PA, Medical).
2) If you want to become a certified EMT in the United States this course is designed for you. See the answer to “How do I become an EMT” for more information. This specialization is the first step in that process.
3) If you are already enrolled in an EMT course and are looking for supplemental education or a way to review for the test, this specialization is divided into courses that allow you to focus on areas where you might need extra review or just a new way to think about challenging concepts.
4) If you are planning to re-certify as an EMT by taking the cognitive exam, this is a complete review of the content you will be tested on.
I do not live in the United States. Why should I take this specialization?
For those outside of the United States, this curriculum focuses on core principles that are relevant in any setting and in any healthcare system, specifically in emergency care. The curriculum follows internationally accepted guidelines on the approach to a sick or injured patient, and is relevant for anyone looking to learn the first steps to becoming a healthcare provider or advancing their education in healthcare.
Some of the resources that are discussed and some of the legal issues that are covered are unique to the United States; however, the principles of care, disease processes and health care basics that are taught are universal and can be used in environments/communities with fewer resources.
Does this course qualify me to take care of patients?
No. As mentioned above and outlined in subsequent answers, this course only provides the lecture portion, or didactic portions, of the EMT curriculum. This content is applicable to many aspects of patient care- not just for those on the path to become an EMT- but completion of the course and content itself does does not qualify you in any way to provide direct patient care as an EMT. Certification to practice as an EMT is only through the National registry of EMTs (NREMT) and requires an additional hands-on skills portion of course work.
** Caveat: Some of the skills you will learn in this course could help you save the life of another individual. There are two skills in particular that we would want you to perform in the appropriate situation. Once you have learned how to do them- CPR and bleeding control are time sensitive, life saving interventions that are taught to the general public (found in Medical Emergencies: CPR, Environmental and Toxicology and Trauma Emergencies). Pay really close attention to these portions of the course! Performing CPR, stopping bleeding with pressure or a tourniquet, and of course knowing how and when to activate the emergency response system can save someone’s life.
Do I need to have taken special classes or have specific experience/ability to take this course?
No. This course is designed for anybody! To become an EMT in the United states you must be 18 years old so the majority of the course work is based roughly on a high school level education. For some of you, classes you have taken - such as biology or anatomy - or knowledge you have from other life experiences will help you with some of the lessons in this specialization.
Two things to consider:
1) If your plan is to become an EMT you will need to take Basic Life Support for healthcare providers from the AHA prior to coming to the Skills course. (https://cpr.heart.org/AHAECC/CPRAndECC/Training/HealthcareProfessional/BasicLifeSupportBLS/UCM_473189_Basic-Life-Support-BLS.jsp). This is not required to take this specialization.
2) A lot of patient care is very physical. It involves lifting patients, moving patients, driving an ambulance, administering medications. If you have any physical limitations that would prevent you from being able to complete tasks like these please take that into consideration before deciding to pursue the EMT certification. These physical abilities are not a requirement for you to participate in any of these online courses or specialization and we encourage anybody who is interested in the subject matter to participate fully!!
Do I need any special equipment or textbook?
No. If your plan is to go on to become an EMT (see ‘How can I become an EMT’ for more information on this) we do recommend that you get a stethoscope (the medical equipment to listen to the heart, lungs and take a blood pressure) at some point before your separate skills workshop. It might be helpful for your learning if you have it while going through this specialization.
We do not require a specific textbook either. Depending on your learning and studying style, you might find it helpful to have a secondary source of information or another way to review. Below are the titles of a couple of supplemental EMT textbooks we are familiar with. Again, these are not required and this list is not complete. This is only provided if you think it might be helpful to you.
1) EMT-P, Daniel J. Limmer, Michael F. O’Keefe, Harvey Grant, Bob Murray, J. David Bergeron, and Edward T. Dickinson Medical Editor. Emergency Care. 13 edition. Boston: Pearson, 2015.
2) Mistovich, Joseph J., and Keith J. Karren. Prehospital Emergency Care. 11 edition. NY, NY: Pearson, 2017.
3) Pons, Peter T., and Vincent J. Markovchick. Prehospital Care Pearls and Pitfalls. PMPH-USA, 2012.
How much time is this going to take? Are there time limits to the courses?
The specialization is broken up into 6 courses. Each course is designed to take you roughly 4-5 weeks to complete if you invest 2-3 hours of time each week to actual coursework and videos. In addition to the 2-3 hours of structured time each week you should plan on a few of hours additional studying to master the information. This study time will be variable from week to week and will depend a lot on what knowledge you have prior to taking Become an EMT. If you worked through according to the intended timeline, it will take you approximately 26 weeks of 2-5 hours of work/studying each week.
One of the greatest things about learning content like this online with Coursera is that it is self paced and you can move things around to fit your life rather than have life fit your studying! However, over time people forget things. In order to make the skills workshop most beneficial and to maximize your ability to pass the national registry exams, we will require those students planning to become EMT’s to complete the entire specialization in one year from start date to date of completion. We also require that you participate in a skills workshop within 6 months of the completion of the specialization.
Do I need to take all the courses in this Specialization? Do I need to take them in a certain order?
If your goals are to become an EMT or you are taking this specialization to learn these skills and concepts for the first time, we strongly recommend that you take the courses in Become an EMT in order. Learning how to work through an entire patient encounter requires a step by step approach. You need to know the parts of the body before you can talk about what can go wrong with them. You need to know how to assess a patient before you can identify abnormalities on your assessment. We were very intentional about the information that is provided in each course and think you will be most successful to progress through it in the way it was designed. To become an EMT you will need to successfully complete all of the courses.
If your goal is to use this curriculum as a refresher, to help you with a separate course, or just to explore new and interesting topics, then taking individual courses or going in a different order might be a reasonable option.
So how do I actually become an EMT?
Traditional pathway:
Take a certified EMT class. There are many throughout the United States, including at the Denver Health Paramedic School and offered at various community colleges or universities.
Pass both portions of the National Registry of EMT exam. These are the psychomotor (skills) and the cognitive (standardized multiple choice test). For more information about the whole process check out: https://www.nremt.org/rwd/public/document/emt
Coursera Pathway:
Finish the Specialization- Become an EMT! with a certificate of completion from Coursera.
Complete a hands-on workshop. At this time, the only course is available through the Denver Health Paramedic Division Department of EMS Education and it is about one week long and occurs in Denver Colorado. Please follow this link for complete information regarding this course. (https://denverhealthparamedics.org/coursera-emt-boot-camp)
Pass the psychomotor and cognitive portions of the National Registry Exam
Once you have passed the NREMT exam, you may register with your state’s health department to obtain your license to provide medical care in your state as a certified EMT!
If I take both the Coursera specialization AND the skills workshop offered through the Denver Health EMS Education, will I be an EMT?
If you successfully finish both Coursera specialization, skills workshop AND pass the in-person hands-on course, you will be eligible to sit for the NREMT exam once you have passed the NREMT exams, you may apply with your state’s health department for a license to practice as a certified EMT!
IMPORTANT Please remember that the in-person, hands-on workshop will require you to demonstrate certain competencies (along with your completed Coursera specialization) to pass the course, and thus be eligible to sit for the NREMT exam. For more information on the hands-on in-person course and its curriculum, please go here: https://denverhealthparamedics.org/coursera-emt-boot-camp
Do I have to come to Denver to take skills workshop after I complete the specialization? Will you offer it in other cities or Internationally?
Currently we are only offering the skills workshop in Denver (https://denverhealthparamedics.org/coursera-emt-boot-camp) . For those seeking to become certified as an EMT, we still believe the convenience of the Coursera Specialization in time efficiency and cost will more than make up for the inconvenience of travel to Denver. Additionally, if we do come to a point where we are able to offer courses in other locations, information about those course offerings will be found at the above site.
Why shouldn’t I just take a regular EMT course locally?
There are a lot of great things about a local EMT course. For many people learning in the classroom with instructors is their preferred way to learn; however, we recognize people’s lives are busy, time is precious and flexibility is sometimes required to make your dream of being an EMT a reality. The advantages of coursera are the following:
1) You can take your course work on your own time
2) You are not limited by geography. If there is not an EMT training center in your town, county or region- no worries.
3) The cost for the curriculum is less than a traditional EMT course (around $2000) even when you add in the cost of the required skills portion of the course. (https://denverhealthparamedics.org/coursera-emt-boot-camp)
4) You can explore this material for your general knowledge or as a possible new career without the investment in a full course.
I have so many questions about becoming and being an EMT where can I get more information?
One of the objectives of this specialization is that we answer many of these questions- particularly in the first course- EMT foundations. If you are not ready commit and want to surf the web first, the website for the National Registry of EMTs is a great place to start with lots of information about the requirements, national guidelines, and actual steps to obtain your certification and ultimately your licence to practice. Click here to visit their website : https://www.nremt.org/rwd/public/document/emt
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