| (a) Emergency medical services (EMS) Education Program Standards.
The Bureau of Emergency Management (bureau) 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 Texas Department of Health (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 EMS First Responder educational standards and competencies
as defined 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-Basic (EMT-B).
(A) The minimum curriculum shall include all content required
by the current national EMT-B educational standards and competencies as defined
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 portions of the current national paramedic education standards and
competencies as defined by DOT which address the following areas:
(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
minimum curriculum.
(C) Certification as an EMT-Basic shall be required prior to
beginning 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 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) Certification as an EMT-Basic shall be required prior to
beginning 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.
(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
Cont'd... |
