EMS News Archive

Draft National EMS Education Standards Open for Comment

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Health Resources and Services Administration have partnered with the National Association of EMS Educators to develop new national EMS education standards. Called for in The EMS Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach, these standards will replace the current U.S. Department of Transportation National Standard Curricula and are currently open for comment.

The development of formal educational standards will assist EMS educators and program managers and will be used to develop instructional materials. According to the National EMS Education Standards (NEMSES) web site at www.nemses.org, the standards will be designed around the National EMS Scope of Practice Model and will provide base-level learning objectives. The new education standards are meant to increase EMS program flexibility, encourage creativity, and advance alternative delivery methods.

“The National Volunteer Fire Council has been involved in helping to develop these standards and we have worked to ensure that they are flexible and competency-based,” said Ken Knipper, Chair of the NVFC’s EMS Committee. “I encourage volunteer EMS providers to familiarize themselves with the draft document and submit comments that they might have to ensure that their concerns are addressed.”

The NEMSES work group is counting on input from departments and personnel to create an effective and comprehensive document. The NVFC encourages departments and members of the EMS community to review the document and submit any questions, concerns, comments, or suggestions that may arise. To review the document and submit feedback, visit www.nemsed.org/draft_standards/index.cfm. A meeting will be held in September to review and incorporate the responses.

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