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As part of its renewed commitment to a pediatric course, NAEMT has taken several steps to improve its prehospital pediatric education program. First, the course has a new name: NAEMT Emergency Pediatric Care program - EPC for short.
“We’re very excited about this new direction for the NAEMT pediatric education program,” said the EPC Program Chair Bob Waddell. “With EPC, EMS providers will get the same high quality pediatric education NAEMT has always provided, but with new and improved support materials for Instructors and students alike.”
Waddell stressed that the core curriculum of the EPC program remains consistent with current pediatric knowledge and skills and is compatible with future medical advancements. Changes have been and will be made in the instructor materials, as well as the administration and oversight of the four courses: Provider, Instructor, Basic and Refresher. “NAEMT has always believed that its pediatric courses were of the highest quality, “Waddell said.
What impact will the new course have on current PPC providers, instructors, and affiliate faculty? “Absolutely none!” Waddell said. “Every effort will be made to assure the transition is seamless.” NAEMT will begin providing the new course under its new name on February 1, 2007. Registered PPC courses conducted prior to the EPC start date will be “grandfathered” by NAEMT so there should be no disruption of offerings or education. Instructors who have been monitored by EPC AF will be grandfathered as EPC Instructors and those who have not been monitored can become an EPC instructor by being monitored.
Affiliate Faculty Instructors, Providers and students should be aware of the following additional changes:
New Leadership: The EPC program will be led by the NAEMT Pediatrics Committee and the EPC Program Executive Council. Tommy Loyacono is the chair of the Pediatrics Committee, which oversees the EPC Program Executive Council, chaired by Bob Waddell. Other members of the council include Lou Romig, MD; Stacy Denicola; Kim Holmes; Melissa Sally-Mueller; and Nathan Williams. Romig will also provide clinical oversight as the NAEMT pediatrics medical director.
Enhanced philosophy: the EPC program will incorporate Family-Centered Care throughout all scenarios, and assessment will be based upon the Pediatric Assessment Triangle (PAT).
New technology: the EPC program will include significant Web-based components so that Instructors will be able to access essential support materials, administrative information, and updates instantly. Additionally, for those programs that have a need to use distributive learning technology, applications will be developed so that the didactic aspects of the courses can be completed online, thereby allowing the classroom time to be devoted to hands-on skills education and evaluation. This format will offer additional options to the program and Instructors alike. Instructors wishing to continue face-to-face didactic and skills-based education will be encouraged to do so.
New exercises: Hands-on exercises will be recrafted and numerous scenarios will be added and updated to provide more variety and to make them more consistent with educational enhancements.
New enrichment materials: the EPC program leadership is exploring the addition of some new, add-on topics, such as Apparent Life Threatening Events (ALTEs), situations that should always be transported and a disaster medicine component. The enrichment materials will be Web-based and additions will be evidence-based, as much as possible.
New instructor development plan: The Pediatrics Committee will establish baseline criteria for instructor potential recommendations so that there is consistency in instructor designation. Identification of instructor potential will be based on achievement of a superior written score, above average skills station evaluation, and recommendation from another Instructor(s) and/or Affiliate Faculty(s). The final criteria for instructor designation will be successful completion of all instructor requirements before an Affiliate Faculty. All Affiliate Faculty must be active NAEMT Members.
New venues: Italy began offering courses in March 2006, and Mexico and Spain will begin their programs in early 2007.
If you are interested in hosting an EPC course or introducing the program to your area, please contact the NAEMT Pediatrics Committee at epc@naemt.org for more information.
This website will be updated over the next month with the new EPC logo and materials.
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