Texas Association Blames Paramedic Burnout On Shortage

January 9, 2009

http://tinyurl.com/9pannm

Jim<

January 10, 2009

>

> http://tinyurl.com/9pannm

>

> Jim<

> The January/February 2009 Texas EMS magazine shows the pass rates for

the 2008 statistics for first attempts at the pass rate for the NR

paramedic exam. It is a 60% for Texas but an overall 2008 national pass

rate is listed as an 80%. I would say this is a huge factor in our

shortage of paramedics. I remember when the state administered the exam

it was around 84% pass rate on first attempts.

>

January 10, 2009

I believe the pass rate is low because we set ourselves up for failure by

adopting a 624 clock hour paramedic class.

The Texas Administrative Code requirements for a paramedic class are:

" 4) Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P).

(A) The minimum curriculum shall include all content required by the

current national paramedic education standards and competencies as defined

by DOT.

( The course shall include a minimum of 624 clock hours of classroom,

laboratory, clinical and field instruction which shall include supervised

experiences in the emergency department with a licensed EMS provider and in

other settings as needed to develop the competencies defined in the minimum

curriculum.

field and clinical rotations in an EMT-P course. "

The DOT Curriculum states:

" The emphasis of paramedic education should be competence of the graduate,

not the amount of education that they receive. The time involved in

educating a paramedic to an acceptable level of competence depends on many

variables. Based on the experience in the pilot and field testing of this

curriculum, it is expected that the average program, with average students,

will achieve average results in approximately 1000-1200 hours of

instruction. The length of this course will vary according to a number of

factors, including, but not limited to:

-student=s basic academic skills competence

-faculty to student ratio

-student motivation

-the student=s prior emergency/health care experience

-prior academic achievements

-clinical and academic resources available

-quality of the overall educational program

Appendix D is a summary of the time that each of the eight field test sites

needed to cover a draft of the curriculum. These times are meant only as a

guide to help in program planning. Training institutes MUST adjust these

times based on their individual needs, goals and objectives. These times are

only recommendations, and should NOT be interpreted as minimums or maximums.

Those agencies responsible for program oversight are cautioned against using

these hours as a measure of program quality or having satisfied minimum

standards. Competence of the graduate, not adherence to arbitrary time

frames, is the only measure of program quality. " (I added the bold to

emphasize my point.)

The DOT Curriculum is based on a student completing the objectives, not on

an arbitrary amount of time in class. The pilot study of 8 classes had the

time necessary to be competent in all the objectives from 624 to 2500 hours

based on the student's ability. After much discussion Texas adopted a time

of 624 hours to be competent. I wish all our students were like the best

student in the pilot classes but I do not think that is the case.

There were lively discussions about the time requirements. Proponents of

the 624 hour class used the rational that a longer class would reduce the

amount of students that would enter paramedic training and would be cost

prohibitive to employers, especially the fire service. Educators wanted the

class to be objective based, not time based. As an educator I know how

difficult it is to add hours above the required minimums. Students and

educational institution administrators do not like the added time or cost.

The proponents of the 624 clock hour came out on top.

When the state administered the test it was balanced against a 400 clock

hour class with objectives set forth by the state. Educators submitted

pilot questions to the state for use in the state test question database.

Comparing the old state test pass rate to the NREMT pass rate is like the

old saying of comparing apples to oranges.

Why we have a shortage is another discussion.

Randy E. RN, LP

From: texasems-l [mailto:texasems-l ] On

Behalf Of Tom

Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2009 11:12 AM

To: texasems-l

Subject: Re: Texas Association Blames Paramedic Burnout On

Shortage

>

> http://tinyurl.com/9pannm

>

> Jim<

> The January/February 2009 Texas EMS magazine shows the pass rates for

the 2008 statistics for first attempts at the pass rate for the NR

paramedic exam. It is a 60% for Texas but an overall 2008 national pass

rate is listed as an 80%. I would say this is a huge factor in our

shortage of paramedics. I remember when the state administered the exam

it was around 84% pass rate on first attempts.

January 11, 2009

I am not aware of any programs in Texas that actually do a 624 hr program

are you? Most programs I am aware of are in the neighborhood of

1000-1200hrs.

Lee

From: texasems-l [mailto:texasems-l ] On

Behalf Of Randy E.

Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2009 9:43 PM

To: texasems-l

Subject: RE: Re: Texas Association Blames Paramedic Burnout On