provided by: 
This issue sees the debut of a quarterly column hosted by the National Association of EMS Educators. This column will address any and all questions relating to EMS education issues. We invite you to submit your questions for consideration. E-mail nancy.perry@cygnusb2b.com.
Question: What are education standards, and why do we need them?
Answer: The most official answers to these questions are found in the 2000 EMS Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach. The document was the culmination of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)- and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-convened taskforce that identified the need for a comprehensive education system in EMS, similar to systems in other allied health professions. The EMS Education Taskforce envisioned a system that, in order to be most effective, should be structured, coordinated and interdependent. The model identified is illustrated in Figure 1.
The Taskforce identified five components necessary for an effective EMS education system: the National EMS Core Content, National EMS Scope of Practice Model, National EMS Education Standards, National EMS Certification and National EMS Education Program Accreditation.
The National EMS Core Content, published in 2005, defines the domain of EMS practice. Specifically, it lists key areas of knowledge and skills that EMS personnel must master. Funded by NHTSA and HRSA, this project was led by the National Association of EMS Physicians and the American College of Emergency Physicians.
The National EMS Scope of Practice Model, published in 2006, delineates the scopes of practice for personnel at each EMS licensure level and outlines the skills that define minimum competencies for each level of EMS personnel. The Scope of Practice is a model that states will use as a guide to establish their own scopes of practice. States' adherence to the Scope of Practice would increase uniformity in EMS practice throughout the country and facilitate reciprocity between states. Leadership for this project was delegated to the National Association of State EMS Officials, with funding provided by NHTSA and HRSA.
The Scope of Practice Model describes four levels of EMS personnel licensure: Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT), and Paramedic. The Scope of Practice further defines practice, suggests minimum educational preparation and designates appropriate psychomotor skills at each level of licensure. Further, the Scope of Practice document recognizes that each level of licensure is distinct and is distinguished by unique "skills, practice environment, knowledge, qualifications, services provided, risk, level of supervisory responsibility, amount of autonomy and judgment/critical thinking/decision making."
The National EMS Education Standards will replace the U.S. DOT National Standard Curricula (NSC). The Standards define the competencies, clinical behaviors and judgments that must be met by entry-level EMS personnel to meet practice guidelines defined in the National EMS Scope of Practice Model. Content and concepts defined in the National EMS Core Content are integrated within the Standards as well.
National EMS Certification and National EMS Education Program Accreditation are seen as the "bookends" that support the other key elements of the system. They ensure consistency and quality of EMS education programs. These components are essential safeguards for the communities that EMS serves.
According to the EMS Education Agenda, education standards are broad and less prescriptive than the current NSC, and are consequently not outdated soon after being published. Changes based on research, practice analysis, future direction of the profession and experience can be quickly reflected in education content. Education standards are designed to be flexible and encourage creativity in delivery methods such as problem-based learning, computer-aided instruction, distance learning, programmed self-instruction and others. Education standards should guide program managers and instructors when making decisions about what material to cover in classroom instruction and publishers as they develop instructional materials.
The EMS community is invited to review and comment on the current draft of the education standards at www.nemses.org. Your input is needed!
Bibliography
United States Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration & United States Department of Health & Human Services Public Health Services, Health Resources & Services Administration, Maternal & Child Health Bureau. Emergency Medical Services Agenda for the Future. Washington, DC: 1996.
United States Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration & United States Department of Health & Human Services Public Health Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal & Child Health Bureau. Emergency Medical Services Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach. Washington, DC: 2000.
Debra Cason is associate professor and program director for the Division of Emergency Medicine Education at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She served on the board of the National Association of EMS Educators from 1995 until 2001 and was president from 2000-2001. She is project director for the National EMS Education Standards development.
author: By Debra Cason