Academy Blog | Train. Track. Serve.

New Year, New Course Topics

EMS1 Academy has added many new system features and functionality this year, continuing to improve our training management solution for EMS agencies. Most recently, we turned our focus to our course library and making it easy for administrators to find exactly what they’re looking to assign to personnel. As a result, we’ve re-organized our set of available course topics. Our content development and accreditation teams works hard to ensure we continue to offer the most relevant training topics for the safety and preparation of our first responders, as well as provide the best user experience in our learning management solution.

On January 11, 2019, the new categories will go into effect and will be available to administrators in the ‘Topics’ drop-down menu within EMS1 Academy. Some of the topics will look familiar and will not have changed. There will also be a new set of topics not previously offered. All courses, including any custom courses you may have created within the system specific to your agency, have been moved accordingly to the most appropriate topic.

An added bonus? As we overhauled the categories used across our nearly 3,300 courses at Praetorian Digital, we identified nearly 125 courses that cover highly-requested professional development needs like Human Resources, General Safety, Professional Skills and more, which we’ll be adding to department accounts when we make the change later this month. All courses are in the process of being submitted to the appropriate accrediting bodies for review for possible credit towards license requirements. Additional details will be provided as they become available.

A full mapping of the topic changes are included below for easy reference. You can always contact your Customer Success Manager with any questions you may have as well.

View the topic changes below:

New Topic Old Topic
Airway Management No Change
Capnography No Old Topic
Cardiac Care No Old Topic
Dispatch Communications for EMS No Old Topic
EMS Operations and Management Compliance (HR/Safety)
EVOC – Fire/EMS EVOC
Health and Wellness for EMS No Old Topic
Mass Casualty Incidents for EMS No Old Topic
Medic Monthly (ALS) No Old Topic
Medic Monthly (BLS) Medic Monthly
Medical/Clinical EMS1.com, Supplemental Courses (custom)
Patient Handling No Old Topic
Pediatric Care No Old Topic
Pharmacology No Old Topic
Products and Technologies for EMS No Old Topic
Remember 2 Things No Old Topic
Sponsored Courses for EMS No Old Topic
Trauma No Old Topic

New EMS Courses Available in EMS1 Academy!

EMS1 Academy recently released a new one-hour course on Medication-Resistant Pathogens (MRSA) and 23 new short video courses. To address EMS related incidents across the country, EMS1 Academy continues to create courses to help first responders learn and apply the training in everyday situations. With a subscription to EMS1 Academy’s online training system, EMS agencies gain exclusive access to some of the best training online for first responders and EMS professionals.

With more than 225 EMS courses and over 275 hours of EMS CE credit available in our online library, personnel gain access to training on-the-go, in multiple formats, to accommodate the pace of the profession. Simplify agency management and meet training compliance using features to easily track course completions, manage internal policies, create custom courses, organize credential requirements and more!

Newly Released Courses

  • Medication-Resistant Pathogens (MRSA)
  • 4 Types of Shock
  • Birth Positions & Cord Clamping
  • Clinical Complications of Tracheostomy Tube
  • Crossfit: A Fitness Program Well-Suited to EMS Professionals
  • Everyday EMS with Greg Friese: Keeping Patients Warm
  • HIPAA: Permitted Uses and Disclosures
  • Nitrous Oxide Field Unit Training
  • Remember 2 Things: Becoming a Critical Care Paramedic
  • Remember 2 Things: Becoming a Critical Care Paramedic 2
  • Remember 2 Things: Employee Turnover
  • Remember 2 Things: Exit Interviews and Employee Retention
  • Remember 2 Things: High Performance Disaster Response Teams
  • Remember 2 Things: Using Lay Providers in Disaster Situations
  • Remember 2 Things: Workplace Incentives
  • Remember 2 Things: Aggressive EMS Treatment of Sepsis
  • Remember 2 Things: Debunking Obsterical Practices
  • Remember 2 Things: Disaster Medical Teams
  • Remember 2 Things: Disaster Response
  • Replacing a Pediatric Tracheostomy Tube
  • Scenarios About Applying HIPAA in the Real World
  • Sepsis and Capnography
  • Tactical Yoga for EMS
  • Tips for Better Patient Assessment

For more information on EMS1 Academy, click here to schedule a demo, email our Customer Success Team or call 800.671.9411 to speak with one of our EMS1 Academy representatives.

Easily Track and Manage Employee Credentials

Whether you’re a small, midsize or large agency, ensuring that personnel are earning CEU and getting the hours they need before recertification can be a challenge. With EMS1 Academy, EMS Coordinators can stay on top of credential compliance. Accessible through our online platform, the credential manager allows administrators to document and maintain employee licenses, generate reports, build dashboards to track progress. They can also set automated notifications for when credentials are nearing expiration.

In addition to tracking state EMT or Paramedic licenses, the system can also track National Registry certifications and cards like CPR, ACLS and more. EMS1 Academy offers nearly 225 hours of continuing education that can be used to meet training needs. Or, your agency can track offline training in the system and count it towards a specific credential template that requires hours be earned in certain categories.

Documentation and management should be easy. With this feature, your agency can simplify the process and ensure everyone is in compliance at any given time.

To see this feature in action, click here to schedule a demo.


For more information on EMS1 Academy, click here to schedule a demo, email our Customer Success Team or call 800.671.9411 to speak with one of our EMS1 Academy representatives.

6 Reasons your Agency Should Implement Online Learning

Online learning is becoming a popular training and organizational tool for EMS agencies. Learn why online learning should be your agency’s next investment.

Many people associate online learning with college courses but are unfamiliar with its applications outside of attaining a college degree. While online learning is a fast-growing training and organizational tool for a variety of businesses, it is particularly well-suited for emergency rescue given the nature of the job – which includes a heavy training requirement, regular policy updates and emergency responders working varied schedules around the clock.

Online learning management systems are highly flexible, accessible anywhere, offer a wide variety of content, and can streamline processes for the entire EMS agency.

Here are six reasons why you should consider implementing an online learning platform at your agency.

1. REDUCE TRAINING COSTS

Online learning can replace or reduce in-person training costs by allowing training coordinators to assign pre-course work before a classroom session. Emergency responders can read policies or memos, as well as watch lecture videos before arriving to class lectures which can help improve the effectiveness of hands-on training.

For example, before bringing first responders into a training simulation, have them watch a video, assigned to them for completion in the learning management system, that introduces how the simulator works and read a training bulletin about the learning objectives for the simulation session. When personnel arrive, they can immediately receive the scenario briefing and begin the hands-on training experience, foregoing a lengthy lecture.

Further, online training is ideal for annual training updates, such as a bloodborne pathogens refresher, that often require hiring an outside trainer or assigning an employee to deliver bloodborne pathogens training throughout the organization. Either route is time and budget consuming. A bloodborne pathogens course, loaded into the online training system, can be used for several annual training cycles and completed by first responders without bringing them to a classroom or an instructor to them.

Additionally, by decreasing the amount of off-site training required, agencies can cut down
overtime costs as well as costs for travel and shift coverage during off-site training.

2. ACCESS COURSES WITH EASE AND FLEXIBILITY

For most agencies, training is a burden because it’s not always accessible; First Responders need to travel to training, or an agency needs to coordinate with an in-person trainer. And apart from expenses, it’s often inconvenient.

With online learning, training is available anytime, anywhere on the following devices:

  • iPhone and Android powered smartphones
  • Desktop computers
  • iPads, Kindle Fires, and Android powered tablets

This 24/7 accessibility means that first responders can access the online training system – a knowledge base of courses, policies, and resources – to complete training while on shift, during downtime or even during their off time if allowed by their agency. Off-duty training is especially well-suited to part-time responders, volunteers or personnel who work at more than one agency.

Online learning also opens the doors to a newer concept called microlearning. Training doesn’t need to happen in only 1-hour, 4-hour or 8-hour increments. Fifteen minutes during briefings might be enough time to quickly update first responders on a policy revision or to view a short video on a feature update to the tracking software.

Unlike in-person training, online learning can be broken into smaller sessions that can be paused and restarted over multiple sittings.

3. PROVIDE THE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES MILLENNIALS EXPECT

According to Pew research, millennials are the largest cohort in the U.S. labor force. If your agency’s ratio of young first responders to veteran personnel hasn’t shifted yet, it soon will.

And millennials have different expectations from their employees than generations past.

Harvard Business Review released a study in 2017 about what millennials want in a work environment. The study spanned multiple industries, but the results were strongly focused on generation versus occupation. One of the primary outcomes was the millennials look for the opportunity to learn and grow within their occupation more than any previous generation.

Appealing to millennials’ desire for educational opportunities, through cutting-edge technology, is a great tool for recruitment and retention.

In addition to assigned courses, leverage the learning management system (LMS) vendor’s course library to offer optional or elective courses to all personnel. Promote the availability of these courses, especially to millennials, who want to continue learning on the job and broadening their skill set.

4. IMPROVE TRACKING OF TRAINING

A combination of online training features like ease of use and high volumes of courses helps first responders with retraining and recertification.

Emergency responders have access to accredited courses that can be utilized more frequently than off-site or in-person training schedules allow. Digital time tracking means more training hours are counted, too. An online training system makes it easy to earn and document training hours for:

  • Attending shift briefings
  • Completing pre-course work before a hands-on training event
  • Documenting participation in an inter-agency training exercise like an active shooter response drill

How does your agency currently track these hours and apply it toward annual requirements?

Can you make the process stronger? When Door County EMS starting tracking their training with more efficiency and increased their volume of content through online learning, they noticed a better streamlined process for tracking training and credentials.

5. INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR REQUIRED CERTIFICATION

With online learning, training is tracked and progress is easily monitored by administrators, which means credentials are less likely to expire and compliance requirements are more easily adhered to.

In the event that a lawsuit arises, training records are subpoenaed or a regulatory audit occurs a training management system provides tracked, centralized documentation to report first responder agency-required credentials. This ability to track and grant credentials reduces liability.

6. ELEVATE FIRST RESPONDER SAFETY

As any training coordinator knows, training is a sound foundation for a first responder’s career, but continuing education beyond minimum requirements for these topics — and addressing a wider-breadth of issues — is imperative for a first responder’s overall effectiveness and on-the-job safety.

Finding an online solution provides your personnel access to these critical training topics, as well as topics more specifically related to your community.

For example, if the opioid epidemic is currently plaguing your jurisdiction, online learning tools can provide your agency continuous access and up-to-date education to help keep your first responders safe and effectively responding to overdoses and investigating narcotics trafficking.

When Tipp City EMS implemented a better training program, it not only helped retain their EMS personnel because they felt more equipped to handle their job, but their training coordinator described how improved training about safer emergency response saved their lives.

Learn how EMS1 Academy can help your department.


For more information on EMS1 Academy, click here to schedule a demo, email our Customer Success Team or call 800.671.9411 to speak with one of our EMS1 Academy representatives.

New & Updated EMS Training Courses

EMS1 Academy recently released new courses, expanding our training library of quality, high-liability topics that address today’s EMS related incidents. With a subscription to EMS1 Academy, we offer exclusive access to some of the best training online.

With nearly 225 CAPCE-accredited EMS course, first responders have access to training 24/7, in multiple formats, to meet compliance and credential requirements. Along with new and updated courses released regularly, our training solution offers features that simplify agency training, like course tracking, policy management, custom course creation, and more.

New/Updated Courses Released

  • Managing Chronic Care Patients (ALS/BLS)
    This one-hour Medic Monthly course provides instruction on managing chronic care patients and their overuse or abuse of the EMS system.
  • Patient Communication During Disaster (ALS/BLS)
    This one-hour Medic Monthly course provides instruction on patient communication during disasters and how to interact with individuals who are emotionally and physically overwhelmed.
  • Return to Spontaneous Circulation
    This Medic Monthly course for ALS providers presents instruction on the procedures that are necessary for treating the return of spontaneous circulation of patients in cardiac arrest.
  • Opioid Crisis: Protecting our First Responders
    The increased availability of synthetic opioids coupled with the heroin epidemic has not only led to a significant increase in overdoses and deaths, but also an increased risk to first responders who must come into contact with these substances during the course of their duties. Exposure to small amounts, the size of a grain of sand, can lead to respiratory depression and even death. Proper identification and knowledge of the various opioids, signs and symptoms of exposure, and immediate life-saving measures to be employed in the event of exposure are critical to saving the life of yourself or others. Additionally, the likelihood of first responder exposure requires the implementation of universal precautions including but not limited to personal protective equipment (PPE), Narcan training, and specific procedures for testing of suspected substances.
  • Emergency Vehicle Driving Techniques
    This course introduces the student to actually operating an emergency vehicle under emergency response conditions. A number of important factors will be discussed, including the Driver Operators Capabilities, Safety and Adverse Driving Conditions, Basic Emergency Driving Maneuvers, and Crash Factors. The final segments of the course will draw the students attention to some fairly new concepts such as Due Regard, True Emergencies, Defensive Offensive Driving, S.I.P.D.E. and Aiming High. Although some of these concepts might sound strange, the student will appreciate the value of each of these concepts as they relate to the safe operation of all types of emergency vehicles.

*ALS and BLS versions of courses available.


For more information on EMS1 Academy, click here to schedule a demo, email our Customer Success Team or call 800.671.9411 to speak with one of our EMS1 Academy representatives.

Improve Agency Training with a Cost-Effective Solution

With budget cuts and staffing issues plaguing many EMS agencies, finding the bandwidth to meet, manage and document required or mandated training can be an uphill battle. As a response, EMS providers have begun to turn to online learning as an ideal training solution.

Training online offers inherent advantages. It’s cost-effective, it’s always available and it’s easy to track and manage. Online learning can also reduce risk.

Here are a few ways your online learning provider should help your agency meet its annual training requirements and decrease liability.

  1. ONLINE TRAINING CATERS TO STATE REQUIREMENTS

    Online learning is customizable. So whether your agency needs to adhere to CAPCE (Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education) guidelines for EMS recertification or internal requirements, you can ensure your program is compliant.

    Your online learning provider should work with you to help you meet requirements in your state or region, regardless of how quickly mandates change. For example, our EMS1 Academy Platform is an organizationally accredited online education provider by CAPCE, and continually adds and updates new courses to be in line with the latest industry standards.

    Additionally, many modern online training solutions can deliver content on smartphones, tablets, or desktop computers, making them available anywhere, at any time. Tracking time, even if it’s short bursts during the day— like 15-minute videos with tests—can help your personnel reach annual certification requirements.

    For many agencies, EMS providers must complete annual continuing education to maintain their certification. It can be difficult to accommodate coverage when you have an understaffed agency. Thanks to the accessibility of online learning, agencies can increase the number of training hours while reducing the number of hours a responder is absent.

    “One of the primary reasons we chose to train using EMS1 Academy was the platform’s ease of use. Our personnel are able to easily complete course training and our administrator can simply track compliance and pull reports to view course completion records. Compared to our previous training solution, EMS1 Academy is much more streamlined and the course content is just what we need to provide proper training for our agency. We would definitely recommend this training solution to anyone looking for a valuable training resource for their agency.” – Door County Emergency Services, WI.

  2. ONLINE COURSES CAN HELP FILL TRAINING GAPS AND DECREASE LIABILITY

    It’s likely your agency needs to meet a number of specialized training requirements or mandates. You may currently be on the hook for identifying—and paying for—a range of instructors to conduct multiple, in-person training sessions. Online learning can greatly ease if not eliminate this burden.

    An online learning provider with a comprehensive course library can efficiently deliver training for a large number of specialized topics that might prove costly to provide in a classroom setting.

    In addition, by offering increased training opportunities, you are reducing liability costs at your department, too—which can take a huge bite out of your department’s budget. For example, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over a 20 year period, from 1992 to 2011, there have been a reported 6,500 accidents involving ambulances each year.

    High-liability categories, which are all offered on the EMS1 Academy platform, include:

    • Airway Management
    • Cardiovascular Emergencies
    • Emergency Vehicle Operations
    • Patient Assessment
    • Trauma

    Having access to a broad library of online training courses is a viable solution to help improve the safety of your EMS’s and paramedics, productivity and performance and decrease risk while staying within budget.

  3. REPORTING AND TRACKING PROGRESS MINIMIZES RISK

    Maintaining accurate training records is as important as actually taking the required courses. Without proof of course completion and department compliance, one audit or legal issue can completely disrupt your agency.

    One of the benefits of online learning is the streamlined electronic record of your agency’s training activity. A learning management system (LMS) enables EMS agencies to eliminate any makeshift or paper processes currently in use. This improved workflow benefits everyone, from personnel to the administration and leadership divisions.

    For instance, if an EMT is unable to complete training in one sitting, courses can be bookmarked and completed at a later time. Training administrators and leaders can easily monitor the progress and the completion of assigned tasks. Then, anyone within the agency can easily pull a report for compliance in the event of an audit. Digitally organizing and tracking your agency’s compliance can also reduce liability in the case of a lawsuit.

  4.  

  5. AN ONLINE TRAINING SOLUTION LESSENS BUDGET AND TIME COMMITMENTS

    Often, EMS agencies budgets don’t align with the resources and time needed for first responders to meet annual training requirements. This becomes a challenge for the Training Coordinator as an EMS professional cannot be on call and scheduled for in-person training at the same time. So will your agency plan training during work hours? Or will you pay for overtime?

    What if some of those training sessions are only available in particular regions in your state and your personnel have to travel? Additionally, managing work schedules when emergency medical personnel are away at training adds another layer of complexity.

    An online training platform can be the solution to these problems. The flexibility opens the doors to allowing emergency responders to complete training in between runs while on call, which cuts overtime costs and keeps your agency compliant. Further, it provides administrators with a tangible return on investment from both a time and monetary perspective.

    Today’s EMS agencies are faced with complex training requirements and need cost-effective ways to ensure personnel is compliant with state standards. An LMS that offers high-quality courses and tracking can meet those needs.


For more information on EMS1 Academy, click here to schedule a demo, email our Customer Success Team or call 800.671.9411 to speak with one of our EMS1 Academy representatives.

Top 5 Courses You Should Assign

EMS1 Academy’s online learning platform offers a course library that has been developed to meet the educational needs of EMS agencies looking to train first responders on high liability topics. These topics and more are available in our learning management solution, which provides a flexible system for you to maintain compliance based on your agency’s specific needs.

We are regularly evaluating our course content to ensure we are providing the topics that our clients can get the most value from. In our recent review of our top courses completed by clients, we have noticed that EMS agencies are finding it useful that we offer training on a variety of topics.

The courses listed below can be taken to meet CEU requirements or for credit toward state and/or national certifications and credentials.

Top 5 courses completed:

  • Bloodborne Pathogens for First Responders
    The First Responder must have knowledge of the appropriate personal protective equipment when responding to an emergency to protect the first responder against airborne and bloodborne pathogens. In this course, learners will review the different airborne and bloodborne pathogens they will most commonly be exposed to with discussion of a new bloodborne pathogen as well as the equipment and preventative measures that should be taken for those pathogens.
  • Head Injuries
    The goal of this Medic Monthly course is to educate the Paramedic about the management of the potential head injured patient.
  • Facial Trauma
    The goal of this Medic Monthly course is to educate the Paramedic about the management of the patient with facial trauma.
  • Influenza
    The goal of this Medic Monthly course is to educate the EMR/EMT about both the typical and atypical presentations of influenza infection.
  • 12-Lead EKG
    This lesson examines the statistics, studies, and thought process that prompted one medical agency to adopt the use of 12-Lead EKGs in the fields to expedite the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac patients.

For more information on EMS1 Academy, click here to schedule a demo, email our Customer Success Team or call 800.671.9411 to speak with one of our EMS1 Academy representatives.

How Much Can You Save On Training?

Recently, EMS1 Academy built a new tool to help agencies determine their cost savings by transitioning part of their required annual training to an online learning solution. Our ROI calculator estimates your current spend on training versus how much you can save on online EMS training with EMS1 Academy’s platform.

The goal for this estimation tool is to demonstrate how moving part of your annual training to an online solution can positively impact your bottom line and reduce budget spending.

With our potential savings estimator, your agency can:*

  • Evaluate the cost/benefit of purchasing an online solution
  • Determine the time saved on tracking and reporting training
  • Compare existing training procedures to our features & functionality
*Disclaimer: To receive your potential savings calculation, you must complete a demo of EMS1 Academy with a sales representative.

For more information on EMS1 Academy, click here to schedule a demo, email our Customer Success Team or call 800.671.9411 to speak with one of our EMS1 Academy representatives.

5 New EVOC Courses Now Available!

EVOC: Emergency Vehicle Operator Course Series

EMS1 Academy has released a new course series, Emergency Vehicle Operator Course (EVOC), which is designed to enhance the ability for first responders to identify the importance of proper training for emergency vehicle operations. With this series, students will deal with the many dynamic forces of nature and physics, which will work both for and against the safe operation of emergency vehicles.

This eLearning experience provides personnel with the knowledge necessary to operate and mitigate the many risks associated with driving emergency vehicles. These training courses have a variety of requirements and opportunities out there for any driver or department with a desire to promote safety and effectiveness.

EVOC is a five-part series that includes the following courses:

  • Emergency Vehicle Driving Requirements
  • This 30-minute course explains the importance of emergency vehicle driving, the impact of vehicle accidents to you and the organization, responsibilities for safe emergency vehicles operations, and the factors that contribute to an incident involving emergency vehicles. Learners will take away an essential understanding of the complexities of driving under emergency conditions, the hazards of intersections and finally the risks of backing apparatus and vehicles.

  • Selecting the Proper Personnel for Driving Emergency Vehicle
  • This 30-minute course will explain that proper personnel selection procedures are the first steps in developing an effective, safe emergency vehicle driver program. It will also define the legal aspects of emergency vehicle operations. And why it is necessary to have standard operating guidelines.

  • Emergency Vehicle Characteristics
  • This 30-minute course will focus on vehicle features that the Emergency Vehicle Driver should know. The course will define the various types of Emergency Vehicle Inspections and maintenance programs a department must have set-up. The course will also focus on the different weight distribution factors and center of gravity when driving these emergency vehicles.

  • Emergency Vehicle Driving Dynamics
  • This course will focus on the dynamics of how to drive an emergency vehicle and stay safe in the process. It will focus on how to prevent Emergency Vehicle Roll Over and Vehicle Dynamics and Physical Forces effect the operation of these types of vehicles.

  • Emergency Vehicle Driving Techniques
  • This 1-hour module will cover all the techniques needed to maintain the highest level of safety possible. It also includes how to prepare for unexpected situations and conditions which can adversely affect emergency vehicle operation. As well as defensive driving techniques that include space management, following distance and rate of closure, hazard identification and correct braking techniques to name a few tactical skills.

Updated Courses Set to be Released in January

The EMS1 Academy content and accreditation teams have made a collaborative effort this year to evaluate the latest trends and topics in public safety to help build a more updated online EMS training library for first responders. With the feedback provided by you, we’ve made the necessary changes to older courses, while continuing to add new and original content to our learning management platform.

On December 31, 2017, we will be retiring older versions of course content, with new versions going live on January 1, 2018. To ensure that you and/or your personnel have completed course requirements before they are either removed or updated, please review the list below to see what has changed.

Updated Courses

  • 12-Lead EKG
  • HIV/AIDS

Name Change

  • Medic Monthly-Football Injuries is now Medic Monthly – Treating Neck and Spinal Injuries
  • Medic Monthly-Pediatric Spinal Injuries VOL 6 Issue 6 is now Medic Monthly – Pediatric Spinal Injuries
  • Medic Monthly-SIDS Vol 2 Issue 1 is now Medic Monthly – Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

If you have questions or need assistance, please click here to contact your Customer Success representative.

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