Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Department permission required. Contact PCC EMS Department for instructions and application packet. Apply to PCC and to the Paramedic program of study. PCC applications are available at any admissions office and the Paramedic program application is available online at www.pcc.edu/programs/emergency-medical/apply.html. Include official transcripts, current Oregon EMT, AEMT, or EMT-Intermediate license, current American Heart Association Basic Life Support Health Care Provider card. Only complete applications are accepted and qualified applicants will be selected for cognitive and psychomotor testing. Completion of prerequisites and the application process does not guarantee admission.

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

1. Integrate comprehensive knowledge of EMS systems, safety and well-being of the paramedic, and medical/legal and ethical issues to improve the health of EMS personnel, patients, and the community.
2. Integrate comprehensive anatomical and medical terminology into written and oral communication with health care professionals.
3. Formulate a treatment plan appropriate to any age and complaint using comprehensive knowledge of pathophysiology of major human systems.
4. Apply fundamental principles of public health and epidemiology including public health emergencies, health promotion, and illness and injury prevention necessary to recommend appropriate therapeutic procedures for patient care.
5. Formulate a treatment plan to improve the overall health of the patient using comprehensive knowledge of pharmacology.
6. Develop and implement a treatment plan to assure a patent airway, adequate mechanical ventilation and respiration for patients of all ages using complex knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology.
7. Integrate scene and patient assessment findings with knowledge of epidemiology and pathophysiology to form a field impression and develop a list of differential diagnoses to modify the assessment and formulate a treatment plan.
8. Develop and implement a comprehensive treatment plan for patients with medical complaints using assessment findings with principles of epidemiology and pathophysiology.

Objectives are met through integrated lecture and lab activities that allow for a gradual progression from simple to complex depth and comprehensive breadth of EMS knowledge, training, and competency.  Emphasis on strong interpersonal skills, critical thinking abilities, good decision-making skills, and the capacity for making quick and appropriate judgments regarding patient care.

Student mastery is evaluated by written quizzes, section examinations, and final examination; psychomotor skill competency evaluation and final exam; and affective evaluations. Additional critical activities include case study review, simulation lab competency, small group sessions, problem based learning and volunteer/community service verification.

Subject Matter, Concepts, Themes, Issues:
The course content follows the design and objectives of the National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards - Paramedic Instructional Guidelines.

• Section 1 Preparatory
  • EMS Systems
  • Research
  • Workforce Safety and Wellness
  • Documentation
  • EMS System Communication
  • Therapeutic Communication
  • Public Health
  • Medical/Legal, and Ethics
• Section 2  Anatomy and Physiology
• Section 3  Medical Terminology
• Section 4  Pathophysiology
• Section 5  Life Span Development
• Section 6  Public Health
• Section 7  Pharmacology
  • Principles of Pharmacology
  •  Medication Administration
  • Emergency Medications
• Section 8  Airway Management, Respiration, and Artificial Ventilation
  • Airway Management
  • Respiration
  • Artificial Ventilation
• Section 9  Patient Assessment
  • Scene Size-Up
  • Primary Assessment
  • History Taking
  • Secondary Assessment
  • Monitoring Devices
  • Reassessment
• Section 10  Medical
  • Medical Overview
  • Neurology
  • Cardiovascular
  • Respiratory
  • Non-Traumatic Musculoskeletal Disorders
  • Diseases of the Eyes, Ears, Nose, and Throat