Are Village Ambulance Service Hybrid EMT courses approved by the Massachusetts Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS)? Yes. Like Village Ambulance Service's traditional EMT courses, our Hybrid EMT courses have been examined and approved, and fall under our current MA OEMS accreditation status. Is this Hybrid EMT course compliant with the EMT: National Standards Curriculum (NSC)?
Yes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released the National EMS Education Standards that replace the National Standards Curriculum (NSC). The NSC was specific with regard to the order, timing, delivery and assessment of practical skills, however the amount of time for each lesson, including skills, was only a "recommendation". The NSC further states that the format of the curricula model may be altered. The new EMS Education Standards are without these course design constraints and look toward final EMT competency rather than the specific path the student used to achieve that competency. Our hybrid course currently utilizes the content and scope of practice of the NSC, but follows the less prescriptive format of the National EMS Education Standards. Our course allows for diverse implementation methods to meet local needs and evolving educational practices as recommended in the new EMS Educational Standards.
What kind of Hybrid courses do you offer? Just like our traditional EMT course, Village Ambulance Service presently offers the EMT as a Hybrid course as well. What is the workload of the Hybrid EMT course? You will find that taking an hybrid learning is academically challenging because most of the work is done on an independent basis. This requires a major time commitment to read print materials, become familiar with audio-visuals, prepare assignments, complete projects, and take examinations. You are expected to spend at least 25 hours per week dedicated to the Hybrid EMT course. What are the organizational and student benefits of the Hybrid EMT course? Less travel expenses, material costs and classroom overhead because much of the course is held online. The Village Ambulance Service Hybrid EMT course does not have the constraints of geography and time that so often dictate the structure and layout of traditional EMT training. Students can progress through the interactive material at any pace with the ability to start, stop and review lessons and activities as often as they wish. Our Hybrid EMT course allows for the standardized delivery of training material with a compressed delivery time. This eliminates session to session variances that occur in traditional classroom settings with even the best instructors. Our Hybrid EMT course can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection and can be utilized at any time so students do not have to align their time to a training schedule. Our Hybrid EMT course utilizes a multimedia based instructional design that is robust, engaging and repeatable. Students participate in course activities with feedback in a learning environment that insists on comprehension of material prior to moving on to more difficult subject matter. Students can move through the course material with privacy and without scrutiny. Peer stress can be a hinderance to the learning process. Students learn from mistakes and gain knowledge without the fear of failure. How many hours is the Hybrid EMT course?
Interactive Instructional lessons - 40 @ estimated 2.5 hours per lesson
Hands on skills training - approx. 12, 6 hour days
| 100 hours
72 hours
172 hours | Text Reading - approx. 1000 pages @ 650 words per page. Avg 200 words p/min.----
Workbook Activities - approx. 400 pages @ estimated 10 min. per page ---------------- Quizzes, 39 chapters @ estimated 30 min. ea. ------------------------------------------------- Scenario and Skills Videos - approx. 20------------------------------------------------------ Ready for Review Activities - approx. 39 @ estimated 10 min. ea.------------------------ Exams and Final------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Hours------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 54 hours 66 hours 9.5 hours 4 hours 6.5 hours 8 hours 320 hours |
How does Village Ambulance Service monitor student progress throughout the Hybrid EMT course? Village Ambulance Service instructors continually monitor automatically generated student progress and activity reports. These reports show not only grades, but details of participation and activity in all lessons. If an instructor sees a deficiency in a student's performance or participation the student will be contacted and provided with additional instruction or remediation if necessary. How do students communicate with the instructors during the Hybrid EMT course? Students may access instructors via the "helpdesk", an online support application, or by scheduling a meeting where lesson material may reviewed one-on-one with an instructor. Telephone may also be used at the instructors discretion. How are course/instructor evaluations monitored and collected by Village Ambulance Service? Students are required to complete an evaluation at the completion of the program. Evaluation data is gathered electronically in a secure environment and then compiled. All evaluations are anonymous and students are encouraged to be honest with their answers not having to fear retaliation.
How does Village Ambulance Service ensure that the students are actually participating in the Hybrid EMT course? Our Hybrid EMT course requires the student to provide written feedback (threads) for all of our demonstrations, lectures, etc. to assure that every student is participating.This built in interactivity demonstrates not only their focus on the material, but their comprehension of it as well. How does Village Ambulance Service ensure that upon completion of the Hybrid EMT course, each student is competent in the skills and knowledge required to be an affective EMS provider? Students will demonstrate attainment of knowledge, attitude and skills by passing skill assessments and evaluations along with exams and quizzes that are presented throughout the course. These same tools will be utilized to assure proficiency and advancement of knowledge, however skill competency will not be achieved until the students have completed their hands on training in person. During hands on training, students will face intensive instruction and evaluation. Village Ambulance Service will NOT provide course completion for any student who does not demonstrate competency in all required skills.
What learning management system (LMS) does Village Ambulance Service utilize for delivery of the Hybrid EMT course? Our Hybrid EMT course uses Jones and Bartlett's Navigate which employs the open source application called Moodle. Moodle is used by many major universities and colleges in the delivery of online educational programs.
What is the quality assurance plan that Village Ambulance Service has in place? Village Ambulance Service has an advisory committee composed of our program director, course physician, instructors, and local EMS providers. This committee meets once every 3 months and reviews all course and instructor evaluations. Any recommendations to increase course effectiveness will be carried out in a timely manner. A follow up report will be drafted when course modifications are complete. How does Village Ambulance Service instruct psychomotor skills for the Hybrid EMT course? Students are introduced to the psychomotor skills in online discussions, lectures, videos, and interactive lessons that will give the students a solid understanding of the skill fundamentals. Students will then attend our intensive practical skills sessions in person which will move them from understanding skill concepts to kinesthetic application in a simulated real world, and simulated test environment.
Students will be immersed in an intense training environment that will culminate in complete training scenarios. Students will be trained and assessed by multiple instructors which will give them a broader range of understanding. Village Ambulance Service maintains a 1:4 or better instructor to student ratio. Remediation for students who are struggling with a certain skill will be provided with one on one instruction and coaching until the student reaches competency.
How does Village Ambulance Service meet the needs of the National Registry of EMTs specific training for the Hybrid EMT course? Our Hybrid EMT course is designed to follow the established guidelines published by the NTHSA. Completion of our course allows the student to sit for the National Registry of EMTs psychomotor and cognitive examination. Is there a dress code for the practical skill sessions? Yes. Students must dress appropriately and professionally while attending the practical skills sessions. Please refer to the dress code below: Shirts must cover the chest and abdomen of the student, The umbilicus (Belly Button) must not be exposed. Sleeveless shirts may be worn, but no part of an undergarment may be exposed. T-shirts with words or statements deemed offensive or inappropriate by the instructor or any fellow student are prohibited. Long pants are recommended for class attendance. The student must keep in mind that he or she will be lying on the floor, bending over and performing practical skills during class time. A persons dress will not excuse them from participating in class.Clothing that is too revealing is distracting to students, and takes away from the educational experience. Please wear shoes that are comfortable while bending and moving around. No open toed shoes are permitted. The wearing of jewelry will be kept to a minimum while attending the practical skills sessions. Hair is to be kept clean and neat. If the hair extends below the shoulders it must be pulled back out of the face and may not contact fellow students or patients while performing skills - this is a serious blood borne/airborne pathogens exposure issue, as well as a personal safety issue. Any other problems with hair will be handled on an case-by-case basis between the instructor and the student. Good hygiene will be practiced by all students. Students whom attend the practical skill sessionsdirty, with unclean hair or with body odor will be counseled by the instructor to change their hygiene habits. An unclean student does not promote confidence in a patient, and this is paramount in patient care. Where will the Hybrid EMT course practical skill sessions be held? TBA soon!
For more information or assistance, please contact our office at 413-458-4889 or by email at education@villageambulance.com. Back to Visitor Center | 
