By Leila Merrill
PITTSBURGH — The National Association of EMS Educators is the latest organization to object to an NREMT resolution to change certification requirements that has stirred up much discussion.
“Allowing non-accredited paramedic program graduates to challenge the National Registry Paramedic exam does not advance the profession of Paramedicine and Emergency Medical Services,” the EMS educators group stated in a news release.
NAEMSE supports having both a single national certifying organization and a responsive national paramedic program accreditor. The full statement is here.
The NREMT proposes expanding eligibility requirements to allow candidates from state-approved paramedic education programs that do not hold CAAHEP accreditation or have not begun the accreditation process. The resolution is here, and comments can be made here by Aug. 17.
EMS associations react to NREMT proposal
NAEMSP
The National Association of EMS Physicians was the first organization to publicly oppose the change. The group supports the role of active EMS physician oversight, which is says, is not guaranteed in state-level programs.
NAEMSP said: “The nationwide EMS workforce shortage requires that we find ways to bring new clinicians to this career field, including expansion of the numbers of programs to meet the educational needs as well as innovations in how content is delivered. The existing certification process for programs will have to be as responsive as possible to efficiently review applications, while ensuring that minimum existing standards are reliably enforced. However, it should not be subverted by allowing the option of state certification of programs.”
Read the full NAEMSP statement.
NAEMT
The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians and National EMS Management Association voiced their objections in late July.
The NAEMT board stated that it supports having more accreditation options for paramedic education programs, but “we do not support the option for states to approve these programs absent accreditation from a recognized accrediting agency.”
It also criticized outcomes of CAAHEP accreditation of paramedic education programs. Read the full NAEMT statement here.
NEMSMA
NEMSMA described the proposal as a potential “back door option for state-level accreditation.”
“As NEMSMA strongly supports an associate degree requirement for paramedics we would not recommend removing or diluting current accreditation requirements for paramedic level programs. We also join with many of our partner associations in reminding the Registry that significant effort has been expended over decades to conform our current paramedic level education system with published national agendas and best practices in healthcare education and certification. Reversing this progress, for real or perceived concerns by some states, educational programs, or employers would be, in our opinion, unwise and counter-productive to the overall standard we have already achieved,” NEMSMA said in its statement.
Learn more about the NREMT proposal
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