EMT Foundations
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EMT Foundations
This course is part of Become an EMT Specialization
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1,149 reviews
Skills you'll gain
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7 assignments
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There are 5 modules in this course
In this course, you will get a thorough introduction to the emergency medical services system, and learn the foundation components to how it works as a whole. You will also learn the nuts and bolts of becoming a healthcare provider, and gain some basic knowledge about the human body. By the end of the course, you will be able to 1) understand the history and components of the EMS system, 2) speak the language of medicine with basic medical terminology, as well as have an understanding of basic human anatomy, 3) understand the different types of communications and how they are specific to EMS, 4) take vital signs and master the normal from the abnormal, and 5) master personal and scene safety, and begin the process of patient assessment.
In this module, you will learn about the nuts and bolts of the emergency medical services system. We will cover some brief history of EMS, as well as breakdown the different components of the system. There will be discussion about some of the medical and legal issues that are persistent in the practice of prehospital medicine. We will also address workplace safety and provider wellness, because you cannot take care of other people unless you are learning to take care of yourself!
What's included
8 videos8 readings2 assignments
8 videos•Total 57 minutes
- Become an EMT•6 minutes
- EMT Foundation•3 minutes
- History and Regulatory Bodies•8 minutes
- What Does It Mean To Be An EMT?•10 minutes
- This Can Be A Hard Job Emotionally•9 minutes
- Medical and Legal Issues - Part 1•5 minutes
- Medical and Legal Issues - Part 2•10 minutes
- HIPAA/EMTALA and Job Errors•6 minutes
8 readings•Total 130 minutes
- IMPORTANT NOTICE: Current “Become an EMT” Specialization No Longer NREMT Eligible•10 minutes
- About Us: Become an EMT Specialization Team at Denver Health Paramedics•5 minutes
- Course Information•10 minutes
- Get help and meet other learners. Join your Community!•5 minutes
- History of EMS•20 minutes
- What Does It Mean To Be An EMT?•40 minutes
- This Can Be A Hard Job Emotionally•20 minutes
- Medical and Legal Issues•20 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
- Introduction to EMT Assessment•30 minutes
- Course Disclaimer•30 minutes
In this module, we will learn a new language. This module will cover basic medical terminology and some tips and tricks for “talking the talk.” This is also where we will cover the basics of anatomy of the human body! We will teach you the basics of human anatomy of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, abdominal, neurologic and endocrine system.
What's included
11 videos2 readings1 assignment
11 videos•Total 59 minutes
- Medical Conversations•3 minutes
- Medical Terminology - Part 1•7 minutes
- Medical Terminology - Part 2•6 minutes
- Head and Torso•6 minutes
- Extremities•6 minutes
- Muscular Systems•6 minutes
- Nervous and Endocrine Systems•7 minutes
- Respiratory Systems•5 minutes
- Cardiovascular Systems•6 minutes
- Gastrointestinal and Renal Systems•6 minutes
- Reproductive Systems and Skin•1 minute
2 readings•Total 90 minutes
- Reproductive Systems and Skin•60 minutes
- Anatomy Terms•30 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Basic Human Anatomy Assessment•30 minutes
Essential to emergency medical services is communication. This module will discuss the various parts of the job that require communication and the different strategies to employ clear and concise communication. You will learn about the SBAR method of hand off reports, learn how to successfully communicate with patients, and we will cover some pearls and pitfalls to communicating within the EMS system.
What's included
10 videos3 readings1 assignment
10 videos•Total 35 minutes
- EMT Communication•1 minute
- EMS System•2 minutes
- Guidelines for Communication•3 minutes
- Communicating With Other Health Care Professionals•5 minutes
- Communicating With Your Patient•5 minutes
- Pearls and Pitfalls of Communication•3 minutes
- Biophone Call - Part 1•4 minutes
- Biophone Call - Part 2•4 minutes
- Biophone Call - Part 3•2 minutes
- Patient Handoff Report•6 minutes
3 readings•Total 70 minutes
- Pearls and Pitfalls of Communication•20 minutes
- Biophone Call•40 minutes
- Patient Hand off Report•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Communication With A Healthcare Provider Assessment•30 minutes
Here we will cover vital signs, and learn about why they are vital! We will be teaching you how to take a blood pressure, respiratory rate, pulse, and assess a patient’s skin. We will also learn about taking a history during a patient encounter, and learn some standard approaches to this including the OPQRST and AMPLE templates of history taking.
What's included
10 videos5 readings1 assignment
10 videos•Total 52 minutes
- Introduction to Vital Signs and History Taking•1 minute
- Vital Signs•5 minutes
- Blood Pressure•6 minutes
- Pulse•5 minutes
- Respiratory Rate•7 minutes
- Skin and Pupils•5 minutes
- History Taking - Part 1•5 minutes
- History Taking - Part 2•7 minutes
- Pulse•3 minutes
- Blood Pressure•7 minutes
5 readings•Total 55 minutes
- Adult Normal Vital Signs•10 minutes
- Vital Signs•15 minutes
- Respiratory Rate•15 minutes
- Skin and Pupils•5 minutes
- History Taking•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Vital Signs and History Taking Assessment•30 minutes
In this last module, we will be discussing some bread and butter components of EMS. The first is scene safety and assessment of a scene. Then we will cover the complete assessment of a medical patient, and a trauma patient, using the national registry as our guideline. By the end of this, you will know how to communicate with patients and how to perform a thorough assessment of any patient you may encounter.
What's included
14 videos3 readings2 assignments
14 videos•Total 49 minutes
- Your First Encounter With a Patient•1 minute
- Scene Size Up or Safety•6 minutes
- Body Substance Isolation•4 minutes
- Scene Assessment•5 minutes
- Patient Assessment - Part 1•7 minutes
- Patient Assessment - Part 2•5 minutes
- Secondary Assessment and Reassessment•5 minutes
- Lifting and Moving Patients•5 minutes
- Head Tilt - Chin Lift - Jaw Thrust•2 minutes
- Stretcher Operation•3 minutes
- Load and Unload Stretcher From The Ambulance•2 minutes
- Long Spine Board and Scoop Stretcher•2 minutes
- Lifting and Moving Stair Chair - Part 1•1 minute
- Lifting and Moving Stair Chair - Part 2•1 minute
3 readings•Total 55 minutes
- Scene Size Up or Safety•10 minutes
- Patient Assessment•30 minutes
- Secondary Assessment and Reassessment•15 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
- Immediately Upon Arrival To The Scene Assessment•30 minutes
- Patient Assessment Practice Quiz•30 minutes
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Reviewed on Apr 2, 2021
The presenters were very informed and the information was delivered in a very structured and easy-to-follow manner. The reference materials followed this pattern as well.
Reviewed on Dec 27, 2019
Very thorough debrief of basic skills needed before indulging into the course further. While also providing the necessary tools and vocabulary to help the learner become successful.
Reviewed on Aug 4, 2020
The course was given in a really friendly maner, with a lot of content (both external and given). They tought the basics very easily to someone that dind´t know anything
Frequently asked questions
IMPORTANT UPDATE: "Become an EMT" Specialization & NREMT Certification
Current Course Status
The existing version of the "Become an EMT" specialization no longer meets the updated certification standards implemented by the NREMT in 2024. The current version cannot be used to qualify for NREMT examination. It remains a valuable resource for anyone exploring emergency medical services, continuing education, or general EMS knowledge. The current version is not a pathway to NREMT certification at this time.
New Version Currently in Development Phase
We are working on a redesigned NREMT‑aligned specialization which will prep you for revised NREMT. Coursera will let you know when that content will launch on the platform. We appreciate the enthusiasm from the NREMT students! Please stay tuned for updates. The goal with this new curriculum is to ensure the full course meets all current certification requirements and supports your long‑term success.
Path to NREMT Certification with the New Course
Two components must be successfully completed to sit for the NREMT exam:
If You Are Currently Enrolled
If you are enrolled and working toward NREMT certification, we recommend pausing your participation (which may include a change to your status with Coursera so that you are only paying for this course when it is ready to be taken) and waiting for the new version of the specialization. The knowledge you've already gained will still hold value as you start the new course, however, the current course will not carry over to the new version.
If You Are Considering Enrollment
We recommend waiting for the new NREMT-eligible specialization when it launches. Until then, the current specialization remains a solid foundation for others who wish to have the basic EMT knowledge without a goal of taking the NREMT exam.
Thank you all very much for your patience.
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
More questions
Financial aid available,