EMT and Paramedic Study Resources: Free Tools to Crush Your Class

Attending classes to become an EMT or a Paramedic is a daunting task for anyone. A student is expected to digest a large amount of information in a short amount of time.

The topics covered in a typical EMS class range from understanding human anatomy and physiology to the treatment of the body when those systems fail. Students are also expected to know how to respond to traumatic injuries.

Prehospital care of the sick and injured is an important job and these classes have high failure rates. An EMT or Paramedic student that wishes to succeed in class should take advantage of every resource available to them.

We have put together a list of free, with a few paid, resources to help students do just that. We also have a very helpful guide on how to pass the NREMT exam.

General Study Resources for EMS Classes

This is a collection of resources that both EMT Basic and Paramedic level students can use to enhance their class performance.

Learn Anatomy and Physiology with Khan Academy’s Health and Medicine Course

Everything the EMS student needs to know in terms of how the body works can be found here. Khan Academy is a resource that countless students have used to bolster their subject knowledge and review lecture material (especially if they are poor note-takers).

Check out their Health and Medicine courses by clicking on the following link.

Khan Academy Health and Medicine courses

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EMT Study Tools You Need To Crush Your Class

These tools are meant to aid prospective EMTs to complete their EMS education. While in no way required to complete an EMT Basic course. We feel these resources will make the journey to the emergency medical technician much easier.

EMS Field Guide

This is an easy-to-carry field guide that covers many of the important aspects of being an EMT. This is useful for students on the go as well as current emergency medical technicians as an easy reference guide.

Designed for both beginning and experienced EMTs, the EMS Field Guide, BLS Version is the ideal quick reference. This field guide is an essential resource for EMS professionals. Whether you’re a student or a current EMT, this guide gives you quick access to vital information needed to do the job and study for class on the go.

This edition includes:

• EMT field determination of death checklist
• CDC criteria for field evaluation of school-aged athletes with head injuries
• Capnography waveform interpretation for BLA/AEMT providers
• Comprehensive ACLS algorithms for EMT/AEMT including asthma, traumatic and hypothermic arrest, and post-arrest resuscitation and care
• Pain assessment charts
• Updated infectious disease to include high-risk biological responses including Ebola and MERS
• Revised American Burn Association (ABA) burn resuscitation guidelines

Plus, this field guide includes all other charts and references that EMTs and AEMTs need ready access to in the field: APGAR, pediatric vital signs, stroke scales, GCS (infant, child, and adult), pupil chart, CDC Trauma Triage, O2 tank capacities, prescription drugs, abbreviations, spell checker, phone numbers, Spanish translations, and metric conversions.

The EMS Field Guide, BLS Version is the resource you’ll use in class, and take with you throughout your career.

EMT Class Lectures

Video lectures are one of the best ways to reinforce what you’re learning in class — especially for visual learners. This playlist covers the core EMT curriculum topic by topic, making it easy to cue up the exact subject you’re studying.

Browse the playlist and select the topic that matches your current lecture. We recommend watching each video the same day you cover that material in class for maximum retention.

NREMT Basic Psychomotor Exam Sheets

These are the actual sheets proctors use to evaluate EMT Basic candidates. These exams are typically held at the location where you completed your training.

NREMT Basic Level Skill Sheets — PDF Format

• Patient Assessment – Trauma (PDF) — Care and management of a trauma patient, usually presented in a scenario format.
• Patient Assessment – Medical (PDF) — Care and management of a patient experiencing a medical emergency, usually in a scenario format.
• BVM Ventilation – Apneic Patient (PDF) — Correct use of a Bag Valve Mask on a non-breathing patient.
• Oxygen via Non-Rebreather Mask (PDF) — Pay close attention to auto-fail criteria and required O2 flow rates.
• Spinal Immobilization – Seated Patient (PDF) — Skills required to successfully immobilize a seated patient.
• Spinal Immobilization – Supine Patient (PDF) — Backboard technique for a supine patient. Study alongside Long Bone Immobilization.
• Bleeding Control and Shock Management (PDF) — Actions required to control external bleeding and manage hypovolemic shock.
• Cardiac Arrest Management (PDF) — Simulated cardiac arrest performance expectations including auto-fail criteria.
• Joint Fracture Immobilization (PDF) — Splinting a joint fracture. Often tested alongside the Trauma Management station.
• Long Bone Fracture Immobilization (PDF) — Traction splint for femur fractures. Study alongside Spinal Immobilization – Supine Patient.

Source: NREMT.org

These exam sheets are designed to test and evaluate the skill level of EMS personnel as they begin to enter the field as a prehospital care provider. It is good to use these sheets as a guide for practicing the physical aspect of the NREMT test and the life-saving skills the student learns during class.

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Paramedic Study Tools You Need To Crush Your Class

These tools are meant to aid hopeful Paramedics to complete their EMS education. While in no way required to complete a paramedic course, we feel these resources will make the journey to paramedic certification much easier.

Paramedic Study Videos

Here is a playlist of videos that will help students pass their paramedic classes. It is advised to pair this with the EMT videos above. After all, the first half of Paramedic is essentially a more in-depth rehash of everything students learned in EMT class.

This is a great YouTube channel. We recommend subscribing to it.

Paramedic Drug Study Cards

A solid grasp of paramedic pharmacology — drug classes, mechanisms of action, indications, contraindications, and dosages — is one of the hardest parts of paramedic school. We built a free interactive tool right here on the site so you can study without a Quizlet account.

If you prefer printed cards, the McGraw Hill Paramedic Flashcards set is a solid hard-copy option to keep in your bag.

Practice Paramedic Cardiology

SkillStat ECG Simulator

SkillStat provides a free mini-game to study and learn rhythm strips. Test your knowledge here:

SkillStat ECG Simulator (free)

The Dubins Book

One of the best books a Paramedic Student can get during their class is Rapid Interpretation of EKG’s, Sixth Edition by Dubin. It covers just about every aspect of understanding a rhythm strip and is considered the gold standard for learning ECG interpretation.

NREMT Paramedic Psychomotor Exam Sheets

These are the actual sheets that proctors will use to test potential Paramedics when they test for their NREMT Certifications. These exams are typically held at the location the potential EMT has received their training.

NREMT Paramedic Level Skill Sheets — PDF Format

Paramedic candidates are tested on six skills: Patient Assessment – Trauma, Dynamic Cardiology, Static Cardiology, Oral Station Case A, Oral Station Case B, and the Integrated Out-Of-Hospital Scenario.

Patient Assessment-Trauma

• NREMT Patient Assessment – Trauma Skill Sheet (PDF)

Candidates are required to perform a “hands-on,” head-to-toe, physical assessment and voice treatment of a simulated patient for a given scenario, including:

• Scene Size-Up
• Primary Survey/Resuscitation
• History Taking
• Secondary Assessment

Cardiac Management Skills

The candidate is evaluated on their ability to manage cardiac arrhythmias and interpret ECGs. This will be verified in two portions:

• NREMT Dynamic Cardiology Skill Sheet (PDF)

You will be evaluated on your ability to manage a cardiac arrest situation, including actual delivery of electrical therapy and “voicing” all interpretations and treatments given a scenario. The presentation of the portion will be similar to a “megacode.”

• NREMT Static Cardiology Skill Sheet (PDF)

Given four (4) prepared ECG tracings with associated patient information, you must verbalize the interpretation of each rhythm and voice all associated treatments.

Oral Station - Scenario A & B

NREMT Oral Station Skill Sheet (PDF)

You will be evaluated on your ability to verbally manage all aspects of an out-of-hospital call given two (2) separate cases: Oral A & Oral B

In each case, you will be evaluated in the following categories:

• Scene Management

• Patient Assessment

• Patient Management

• Interpersonal Relations

• Integration (verbal report, field impression, and transport decision)

• NREMT Oral Station Template (PDF)

• NREMT Oral Station Scenario (PDF)

Integrated Out-Of-Hospital Scenario

• NREMT Integrated Out-Of-Hospital Scenario Skill Sheet (PDF)

The Integrated Out-Of-Hospital Scenario (IOOH) will reflect either a pediatric, geriatric or adult patient. The candidate will be provided with a professional paramedic partner and evaluated on their ability to manage a call, lead a team, effectively communicate, and maintain professionalism throughout the simulated patient encounter.

Source: NREMT.org

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This page will be updated as more study resources are found. We hope you found this page informative and if it helped you please share it.