Guest blogger Michael Fraley shares a great resource for Free Online EMS Training

Bound Tree Medical is offering free continuing education credits to ALS and BLS personnel through their BoundTree University website. It is a great way to experience how online learning works and get some free CEUs while you do it.

Courses currently available for BLS providers include:

• Unusual resuscitations
• Emergency childbirth
• Prehospital use of CPAP and BPAP

Courses currently available for ALS providers include:

• Pediatric patients
• Airway management
• Diabetic emergencies
• Pharmoacology and drug administration

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A few weeks ago I received my evaluations from participants in my two sessions at EMS World Expo 2011. I presented two sessions:

• Trends in Online Emergency Responder Education (view the slides)
• Using Social Media to Market your EMS Agency (view the slides)

EMS World Expo 2011

The evaluation scores and comments are about what I expected. I thought I would share the responses to the question “Are there any sessions or topics you would like to see added for for future events?” as this might inspire you to submit for EMS World Expo 2012 in New Orleans, LA.

Trends in Online Emergency Responder Education attendees wrote:

• Is online training good for your department?
• How to develop an online training session (framework)
• Would like to see a session that actually teaches you/works with student on how to use technology of online EMS education. Tools, tricks, etc.
• More classes on e-learning (all aspects: CE, initial, etc.)
• More EMS Leadership training
• Empact provider course

Using Social Media to Market your EMS Agency attendees wrote:

• How to build your social media presence from scratch
• Hands-on class about how to set up, upload and tag photos
• More social media sessions
• More social media usage topics

Read related posts and tips:

1. Social Media Presentation from EMS World Expo #EMSExpo These are my slides from a presentation I gave last...
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Last week I presented at the Ohio Society of Fire Service Instructors Symposium on the topics of online education and social media content creation. I also had a chance to share some general classroom teaching tips. These are my three best:

Columbus Division of Fire training academy lecture hall

1. Start on time and end on time. You can’t always control the start time, but you can control the end time. Ending on time is an important part of honoring your student’s time.

2. Learn the names of all of your students as quickly as possible. For any course longer than four hours learning names is essential for connecting with the audience. On shorter program, such as a conference presentation, I try to arrive early enough to meet a few people in the audience that I can mention by name or call on during the presentation.

3. Ask, “What questions do you have?” to start a discussion/Q and A period instead of asking the discussion killer, “Do you have any questions?” The former is an invitation to ask a question. The latter is a yes or no that doesn’t allow a question to be the response.

Bonus Tip: The teacher is critical. The technology is useful. During my Friday presentations I had several technological mishaps as I was foiled by my computer’s virus checker. Despite all of my efforts I couldn’t implement the audience polling system I had planned to use. I am confident that because I know the material so well that I could be reduced to some sand on the ground and a stick and teach just about anything.

What are your top tips for fire and EMS educators?

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Shared some tips for running out of town, while traveling on the Loving the Run blog yesterday.

Last night I ran at a health club near my hotel in Columbus, Ohio. Today I am giving several presentations at the Ohio Society of Fire Service Instructors Symposium.

• Trends in Online Education
• Social Media Content Creation
• Learning Management Systems for Small Departments
• Using Games to Teach

Boardwalk on Miami South Beach is a great place for a run

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One of my favorite alternate posting locations is EMS1. com. I appreciate their recent publication of “The Benefits of Online EMS Education.”

Is your department using online education for initial, refresher, or recertification training? What is working well and what could be better?

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Slides from my 2011 EMS World Expo presentation, Trends in Online Emergency Responder Education.

If you are interested in having me present this or other topics at your conference please contact me.

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In my business developing online education programs I notice big usage surges towards the end of each quarter. The biggest surges come as the calendar approaches December 31 (for EMTs and paramedics that recertify at the end of the calendar year) and March 31 (associated with National Registry recertification).

Passing the NREMT CBT Exam

Sean Eddy at MedicMaddness.com shares his method for preparing for the NREMT CBT exam. Sean lays out an excellent study method to review only the material he needed to know. Congratulations!

EMS Continuing Education

During his Monday Minute Jim Hoffman, the EMS Professional, responds to a recent EverydayEMSTips.com post by asking, “EMS Continuing Education – are you satisfied?” Also check out Jim’s 5 cc’s of life t-shirts. Clever.

“Protecting Those that Can’t Protect Themselves”

My Lab after a Good Brushing

Scaredy Fish writes a terrific post about recognizing and reporting animal abuse. I really appreciate and admire EMS professionals that understand that our role in the community can and should go beyond assessing and treating a 911 caller.

Motor Cop also shares a “Request from Rover” about the dangers of leaving your dog in a parked car.

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I create narrated flash movies that are the result of converting PowerPoint to flash with a program called Articulate Presenter. One of the most common questions I receive is “How many PowerPoint slides should I have in a 30 minute elearning program?”

They are rarely satisfied with my answer, “The number of slides doesn’t matter.”

“Well someone told me to never use more than 30 slides in a 30 minute presentation.” Or I was advised this:

“We can’t have this lesson be any more than 10 slides.”

The better question is “How many words should be in the audio script for a 30 minute elearning program?”

When converting PowerPoint to Flash, PowerPoint is the storyboard for designing the lesson. Each slide is like a frame in a movie. If the slide has animations it is like multiple frames in a movie. When I watch a movie every 3 to 10 seconds (sometimes even quicker) the on-screen visual changes. A newscast is filled with changing graphics. In this regard an elearning lesson is much more like a television show or movie than a classroom presentation.

30 minute lesson = ~4000 words

Typically I script elearning lessons by writing the narration in the notes view of the PowerPoint slide. The word count of the script determines the length of the lesson. 150 slides with 10 words of narration (the audio track) is a lesson that is 10 to 12 minutes long. 75 slides with a word count for the narration that is about 4100 words will be a lesson that is about 30 minutes long.

When creating a lesson I usually write one paragraph or one important point per slide. That leads to slides that will be on screen for 10 to 45 seconds. Each slide usually has one or more animations so something is happening on the screen at least every 30 seconds. Visual change with interesting audio content and opportunities to interact with the lesson helps keep students engaged throughout the lesson.

Explain your parameters for determining the length of an elearning lesson. Thanks.

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National Registry renewal is about 10 weeks away. Do you have enough continuing education hours?

Here are some online training opportunities you might consider for continuing education hours, as well as professional development.

1. RapidCE.com – online continuing education from EMS World and CentreLearn.

2. EMSBootCamp.com – live and recorded training programs from EMS education experts.

3. MedicCast Extra – tools, tips, and study aids for EMS students.

4. Physio-Control University – top flight training programs on Capnography and 12 Lead ECG Interpretation.

5. JEMSCE.com – a full service online training program.

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An Everyday EMS Tips reader asked, “I need to get a recertification for my EMT done on the cheap. It’s due in March.”

Buy Cheap, Get Cheap

Unfortunately many of us have low expectations for EMT recertification training and thus look for the fastest and easiest path to recertification. We also get stuck in needing to schedule class time around busy work and family schedules and may or may not have employer support to pay for the course. If cheap is what you are after; cheap is what you will find. Personally I seek out the very best training I can afford.

Understand the Recertification Requirements

Recertification requirements vary significantly around the United States. In Wisconsin I re-certify every two years and NREMT is only for initial licensing. Maintaining NREMT is optional in Wisconsin. Visit your state’s EMS website to review recertification requirements. Visit the NREMT website for NREMT requirements.

Change the Premise

Instead of searching for “cheap” recertification training, look for the absolute best EMT recertification training that will fit both your schedule and pocket-book. To find the very best EMT recertification training:

1. Understand your own needs. Assess your strengths and weaknesses and through optional hours make sure to take courses that fill in any knowledge or skill deficits you might have.

2. Ask for recommendations. Ask your mentors, in and out of your service, for instructor recommendations. Ask about instructors that challenge students to excel, instructors that don’t accept mediocrity, and instructors that push students to expand their knowledge instead of just refreshing knowledge.

3. Change the viewpoint. Instead of saying “I need to get” try this on “I want to get re-certified.” Shift the locus of control from an agency telling you to re-certify to owning the desire to re-certify. Learning is an amazing opportunity.

Seek out Hybrid Training

Hybrid education – a combination online didactic training and classroom skills and simulation assessments – provides the best learning outcomes. Look for a program that offers a series of self-paced online lessons or a menu of lessons for you to choose from. Then follow the online lessons with an intense classroom experience that focuses on skill competency assessment (and remediation if needed) and scenario based simulations.

Cost of Training

Recertification training, if not provided by your employer, can get expensive quickly. If resources are limited …

1. Save throughout your license cycle for your next recertification training. I cash flow everything. If I have a major expense coming – vacation, new bike, training course, or a new car – I set a savings goal and an amount to know each month. My next refresher is due March 31, 2012. If that refresher is going to cost me $600 I have about 12 months to save $60/month.

2. Share the costs. Maybe you can share books, lab materials, and travel costs with other students.

3. Ask for a payment plan. Ask the instructor for a payment plan. Maybe you could pay 50% upfront and the other 50% at the end of the class.

4. Offer the instructor a barter. Could you clean manikins, inventory and re-stock equipment, or assist in other classes for a reduced fee?

5. Apply for scholarships. Lots of EMS conferences and schools have scholarship programs. If you don’t see something obviously posted about a scholarship then ask.

6. Costs might be tax deductible. If you itemize your income taxes the costs of education and professional development might be tax deductible. Ask a tax professional for specific advice about tax deduction.

7. Ask your employer. If your employer doesn’t support recertification training in part or full ask them to support recertification training. If your employer offers no training for employees to maintain certifications and licenses I recommend looking for a new job (admittedly a longer term solution).

What are your EMT Recertification Tips?

Am I on target? Where am I being unrealistic?

We talked about recertification training that honors your time, knowledge, and dollars on episode 86 of the EMSEduCast.

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