| (a) Emergency medical services (EMS) Education Program
Standards. The Texas Department of State Health Services (department)
shall develop and publish an EMS Education and Training Manual (manual)
outlining standards for EMS education that address at least the following
areas:
(1) program sponsorship;
(2) program direction and administration;
(3) medical direction;
(4) instructor personnel;
(5) financial resources;
(6) physical resources, including classroom and laboratory
facilities, equipment and supplies, and learning resources;
(7) clinical and field internship resources;
(8) academic and administrative policies, procedures
and records requirements;
(9) program evaluation;
(10) curriculum; and
(11) delivery of instruction by distance learning technology.
(b) Consideration of training standards.
(1) The department shall base the manual on applicable
standards and guidelines for evaluation and approval of EMS education
programs adopted by national accrediting organizations.
(2) Before implementation or revision of the manual,
the department shall ensure adequate time for public review and comment.
(3) Before implementation or revision of the manual,
the department shall present the manual to the advisory council for
review.
(c) Curriculum.
(1) Emergency Care Attendant (ECA)
(A) The minimum curriculum shall include all content
required by the current national Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
educational standards and competencies as defined in the National
EMS Education Standards by the United States Department of Transportation
(DOT).
(B) In addition to the minimum curriculum in subparagraph
(A) of this paragraph, the curriculum shall include the following
subjects:
(i) recognition and identification of hazardous materials
as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency curriculum,
"Recognizing and Identifying Hazardous Materials";
(ii) airway/ventilation adjuncts; to include use of
the bag-valve mask, oxygen administration and oral suctioning;
(iii) measurement of baseline vital signs to include
pulse, respiration and blood pressure by palpation and auscultation;
(iv) spinal motion restriction, to include sizing and
application of cervical collars and short/long spinal motion restriction
devices to supine, seated, and standing patients;
(v) patient assessment;
(vi) bandaging, splinting, and traction splinting;
(vii) cardiac arrest management, including use of the
semi-automatic external defibrillator;
(viii) equipment used to lift and move patients;
(ix) communications and documentation; and
(x) ambulance operations, to include emergency vehicle
laws.
(C) The course shall include a minimum of 40 clock
hours of classroom and laboratory instruction in the approved curriculum.
(2) Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
(A) The minimum curriculum shall include all content
required by the current national EMT educational standards and competencies
as defined in the National EMS Education Standards by DOT.
(B) The course shall include a minimum of 140 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.
(3) Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate (EMT-I).
(A) The minimum curriculum shall include all content
required by the current national Advanced Emergency Medical Technician
(AEMT) standards and competencies as defined in the National EMS Education
Standards by DOT. The following areas must be addressed as outlined
in the AEMT national educational standards and the Health and Safety
Code, §773.048:
(i) roles and responsibilities of the paramedic;
(ii) well being of the paramedic;
(iii) illness and injury prevention;
(iv) medical/legal issues;
(v) ethics;
(vi) general principles of pathophysiology;
(vii) pharmacology;
(viii) venous access and medication administration;
(ix) therapeutic communications;
(x) life span development;
(xi) patient assessment;
(xii) airway management and ventilation, including
endotracheal intubation; and
(xiii) trauma.
(B) The course shall include a minimum of 160 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 AEMT national educational standards.
(C) A student shall have a current EMT certification
from the department or National Registry prior to beginning and throughout
field and clinical rotations in an EMT-I course.
(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 in the National EMS Education Standards as defined by
DOT.
(B) 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.
(C) A student shall have a current EMT or EMT-I certification
from the department or current EMT, EMT-I or AEMT certification from
the National Registry prior to beginning and throughout field and
clinical rotations in an EMT-P course.
(d) Sponsorship.
(1) EMS Education programs shall be sponsored by organizations
or individuals with adequate resources and dedication to carry out
successful educational endeavors.
(2) Program sponsors shall provide appropriate oversight
and supervision to ensure that programs are:
(A) educationally and fiscally sound; and
(B) meet the responsibilities listed in subsection
(o) of this section.
(e) Levels of program approval.
(1) A program may be approved as a basic EMS training
program or an advanced training program.
(2) ECA and EMT training shall be conducted by a basic
program and may be conducted by an advanced program.
(3) EMT-I and EMT-P training shall be conducted by
an advanced program.
(4) An advanced program shall be considered to have
met the requirements for approval as a basic program.
(f) Currently approved programs. Programs that have
obtained approval as of the effective date of this rule shall be considered
to have met the requirements of subsections (g) or (h) of this section
appropriate to their current level of approval. Paramedic programs
must become accredited by December 31, 2012, and provide proof of
accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Education Programs (CAAHEP)/Committee on Accreditation of Educational
Programs (CoAEMSP), or a national accrediting organization recognized
by the department. Alternatively, the program may provide a letter
from CAAHEP/ CoAEMSP or a national accrediting organization recognized
by the department stating the education program has submitted the
appropriate documentation that indicates it being in pursuit of accreditation
as defined by that organization.
(g) Basic approval requirements. To approve a basic
program, an applicant shall:
(1) submit a letter of sponsorship;
(2) submit letters of intent from qualified providers
of clinical and field internship experience appropriate to the level
of training;
(3) have at least one course coordinator certified
as an EMT or higher;
(4) have a program director who contributes an adequate
amount of time to assure the success of the program. In addition to
other responsibilities, the program director shall be responsible
for the development, organization, administration, periodic review
and effectiveness of the program. In addition to other duties, the
program director may function as a course coordinator if appropriately
certified; and shall:
(A) routinely review student performance to assure
adequate progress toward completion of the program;
(B) review and supervise the quality of instruction
provided by the program; and
(C) document that each graduating student has achieved
the desired level of competence prior to graduation;
(5) have a medical director if appropriate to the level
or content of training. The medical director shall be a licensed physician
approved by the department with experience in and current knowledge
of emergency care. The medical director shall be knowledgeable about
educational programs for EMS personnel. In addition to other duties
assigned by the program, the medical director shall:
(A) review and approve the educational content of the
program's curricula;
(B) review and approve the quality of medical instruction
provided by the program; and
(C) attest that each graduating student has achieved
the desired level of competence prior to graduation;
(6) have an advisory committee representing the program's
communities of interest (individuals, groups of individuals, or institutions
impacted by the program) designated and charged with assisting the
program director and medical director in formulating appropriate goals
and standards, monitoring needs and expectations and ensuring program
responsiveness to change;
(7) submit a completed application to the appropriate
regional office; and
(8) demonstrate substantial compliance with the EMS
education standards by successfully completing the self study/on-site
review process outlined in the manual.
(h) Advanced approval requirements. To approve an advanced
program, an applicant shall:
(1) have successfully operated a basic program;
(2) submit documentation of sponsorship by a regionally
accredited post-secondary educational institution or a health care
institution accredited by an organization recognized by the department,
or any other entity meeting standards and criteria for sponsoring
advanced EMS courses;
(3) submit letters of intent from qualified providers
of clinical and field internship experience appropriate to the level
of training offered;
(4) have at least one advanced course coordinator certified
at or above the highest level of training to be offered by the program;
(5) have a program director who contributes an adequate
amount of time to assure the success of the program. In addition to
other responsibilities, the program director shall be responsible
for the development, organization, administration, periodic review
and effectiveness of the program; and shall:
(A) routinely review student performance to assure
adequate progress toward completion of the program; and
(B) review and supervise the quality of instruction
provided by the program; and
(C) document that each graduating student has achieved
the desired level of competence prior to graduation;
(6) have a medical director who shall be a licensed
physician approved by the department with experience in and current
knowledge of emergency care. The medical director shall be knowledgeable
about educational programs for EMS personnel. In addition to other
duties assigned by the program, the medical director shall:
(A) review and approve the educational content of the
program's curricula;
(B) review and approve the quality of medical instruction
provided by the program; and
(C) attest that each graduating student has achieved
the desired level of competence prior to graduation;
(7) have an advisory committee representing the program's
communities of interest (individuals, groups of individuals, or institutions
impacted by the program) designated and charged with assisting the
program director and medical director in formulating appropriate goals
and standards, monitoring needs and expectations and ensuring program
responsiveness to change;
(8) submit a completed application to the appropriate
regional office; and
Cont'd... |
