ASTM F1257-90(2002)
(Guide)Standard Guide for Selection and Practice of Emergency Medical Services Instructor for Advanced Life Support/Emergency Medical Technician (ALS/EMT) Training Programs
Standard Guide for Selection and Practice of Emergency Medical Services Instructor for Advanced Life Support/Emergency Medical Technician (ALS/EMT) Training Programs
SCOPE
1.1 This guide is intended to assist emergency medical services (EMS) agencies and institutions in selecting and utilizing individuals who teach in EMT (emergency medical technician) training programs which include instruction in advanced life support knowledge and skills.
1.2 This guide identifies six categories of instructor in an ALS/EMT (advanced life support/emergency medical technician) training program:adjunct instructor, clinical/field preceptor, practical skills instructor, associate instructor, course instructor/coordinator (I/C), and course administrator. The guide recognizes that an individual may, depending on his/her level of practice and the training program involved, function in any or all of these categories.
1.3 This guide includes specific guidelines for qualifications, training, education, experience, scope of authority, responsibilities, continuing education, evaluation, and maintenance of competency when applicable.
1.4 This guide does not include specific guidelines for the course administrator or the adjunct instructor. While the guide recognizes, by offering a definition of each category, that these types of individuals function in many ALS/EMT training programs, the limited instructional roles played by these individuals precludes the need for specific selection and utilization guidelines.
1.5 This guide is intended to apply to any individual who teaches in ALS/EMT training programs regardless of the individual's present level of clinical practice.
1.6 This guide intentionally omits references to length of prehospital care experience, teaching experience, and continuing education requirements. This guide also omits reference to waiver or equivalency. These issues should be addressed by the appropriate agency.
1.7 This guide applies only to instructors who teach in advanced life support training courses designed to prepare an individual for certification to practice as an EMT above the level of the EMT (basic). It does not apply to instructors who teach in specialized courses that do not in themselves qualify the individual for a level of EMT certification.
1.8 This guide does not establish certification requirements. Such requirements should be established by the certifying agency in the jurisdiction in which the ALS/EMT instructor will function. This guide may be used to provide considerable guidance to the jurisdiction responsible for establishing certification standards.
1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
Note 1—Also see Practice F1031.
General Information
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Standards Content (Sample)
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Designation:F1257–90 (Reapproved 2002)
Standard Guide for
Selection and Practice of Emergency Medical Services
Instructor for Advanced Life Support/Emergency Medical
Technician (ALS/EMT) Training Programs
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1257; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope teach in specialized courses that do not in themselves qualify
the individual for a level of EMT certification.
1.1 This guide is intended to assist emergency medical
1.8 This guide does not establish certification requirements.
services (EMS) agencies and institutions in selecting and
Such requirements should be established by the certifying
utilizing individuals who teach in EMT (emergency medical
agency in the jurisdiction in which the ALS/EMT instructor
technician) training programs that include instruction in ad-
will function. This guide may be used to provide considerable
vanced life support knowledge and skills.
guidance to the jurisdiction responsible for establishing certi-
1.2 This guide identifies six categories of instructor in an
fication standards.
ALS/EMT (advanced life support/emergency medical techni-
1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the
cian) training program: adjunct instructor, clinical/field precep-
safety concerns associated with its use. It is the responsibility
tor, practical skills instructor, associate instructor, course
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and
instructor/coordinator (I/C), and course administrator. The
health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
guide recognizes that an individual may, depending on his/her
limitations prior to use.
level of practice and the training program involved, function in
any or all of these categories.
NOTE 1—Also see Practice F 1031.
1.3 This guide includes specific guidelines for qualifica-
2. Referenced Documents
tions, training, education, experience, scope of authority, re-
sponsibilities, continuing education, evaluation, and mainte-
2.1 ASTM Standards:
nance of competency when applicable.
F 1031 Practice for Training the Emergency Medical Tech-
1.4 This guide does not include specific guidelines for the
nician (Basic)
course administrator or the adjunct instructor. While the guide
3. Terminology
recognizes, by offering a definition of each category, that these
types of individuals function in many ALS/EMT training 3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
programs, the limited instructional roles played by these
3.1.1 adjunct instructor—an individual with specialized
individuals precludes the need for specific selection and subject matter expertise, who, on occasion, instructs a specific
utilization guidelines.
topic of a curriculum under the direction of the course
1.5 This guide is intended to apply to any individual who instructor/coordinator.
teaches in ALS/EMT training programs regardless of the
3.1.2 advanced life support—a level of pre-hospital emer-
individual’s present level of clinical practice. gency medical care that includes all EMT-basic procedures and
1.6 This guide intentionally omits references to length of
any or all additional procedures, interventions, or techniques
,
3 4
prehospital care experience, teaching experience, and continu- defined by the National Standard Curricula.
ing education requirements. This guide also omits reference to
3.1.3 advanced life support/emergency medical technician
waiverorequivalency.Theseissuesshouldbeaddressedbythe (ALS/EMT) training program—a course of instruction that
appropriate agency.
providesanindividualwiththeknowledgeandclinicalskillsof
1.7 This guide applies only to instructors who teach in emergency medical care necessary to function at a level of
advanced life support training courses designed to prepare an
individual for certification to practice as an EMT above the
level of the EMT (basic). It does not apply to instructors who
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 13.02.
Emergency Medical Technician—Intermediate: National Standard
Curriculum—Instructor’s Lesson Plans (U.S. DOT/NHTSA Report No. DOT HS
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F30 on Emergency 900–091, August 1986).
Medical Services and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F30.02 on Emergency Medical Technician—Paramedic: National Standard Curriculum—
Personnel, Training and Education. Instructor’s Lesson Plans, 1985 (U.S. DOT/NHTSAReport No. DOT HS 900–089,
Current edition approved Jan. 10, 1990. Published February 1990. August 1986).
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
F1257–90 (2002)
EMT practice beyond the level of EMT (basic). Such courses 3.1.16 qualification—a requirement which shall be met by
include, but are not limited to, EMT-intermediate and EMT- an ALS/EMT instructor candidate prior to selection and prac-
paramedic training programs. tice as an ALS/EMT instructor.
3.1.4 ALS/EMT instructor—an individual who provides in-
4. Significance and Use
struction in a training or education program for prehospital
4.1 Since the quality of prehospital ALS/EMT training
ALS/EMT personnel. This term includes any individual who
depends, in large measure, on the instructional abilities and
functions as an adjunct instructor, clinical/field preceptor,
competencies of the ALS/EMT instructor, it is imperative that
practical skills instructor, associate instructor, or course
the individual selected and used in this capacity possess the
instructor/coordinator.
qualifications and capabilities necessary to provide effective
3.1.5 associate instructor—an individual who possesses the
instruction.
qualifications and education/training of a course instructor/
4.2 An ALS/EMT instructor must possess clearly defined
coordinator, but, in a specific course, assumes a supportive or
knowledge and skills competencies, have clearly defined re-
assisting role to the course instructor/coordinator. This indi-
sponsibilities and scope of authority related to instructional
vidual may substitute for the course instructor/coordinator in
programs and meet other specific requirements pertinent to the
case of necessity or, in other courses, serve as a course
level of instruction.
instructor/coordinator.
4.3 Using this guide, EMS institutions and organizations
3.1.6 certification—current, formal approval by the appro-
should be able to develop requirements for selection and
priate certifying agency to function at a specific level of
utilization ofALS/EMT instructors forALS/EMT training and
practice. This may also be referred to as approval or licensure.
education programs.
3.1.7 clinical certification—a standardized process for
evaluation and recognition of an acceptable level of compe-
ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT INSTRUCTOR
tence in a specific aspect of patient care.
GUIDELINES
3.1.8 clinical experience—exposure to and practice in an
5. Course Instructor/Coordinator
area of patient care.
3.1.9 clinical/field preceptor—an individual who supervises 5.1 An individual shall be considered eligible to serve as an
and evaluates the students during clinical or field experiences
ALS/EMT course I/C when requirements as outlined in 5.1.1
under the direction of the course instructor/coordinator. and 5.1.2 have been met by that individual.
3.1.10 course administrator—an individual responsible for 5.1.1 Qualifications— Prior to entering the instructor train-
ing program, the course I/C candidate shall:
managing administrative details of a course, separate from
actual instruction of the course. 5.1.1.1 Be at least a high school graduate or have a General
Equivalency Diploma (GED); preferably a higher education
3.1.11 course instructor/coordinator (I/C)—an individual
degree in a supportive discipline,
who is authorized by the appropriate entity to present and
5.1.1.2 Have prehospital patient care experience at least at
assess competence in all of the subject matter contained in a
the level being taught,
curriculum. This person also oversees all instruction in the
5.1.1.3 Be certified at least at the level being taught,
course and makes final evaluations concerning student compe-
5.1.1.4 Demonstrate, at the level being taught, current
tence.
competenceinandknowledgeofemergencycareoftheacutely
3.1.12 course medical director—the licensed physician who
ill or traumatized patient to the satisfaction of the appropriate
provides medical direction for all didactic and clinical instruc-
agency, and
tion and clinical practice experience included in an ALS/EMT
5.1.1.5 Demonstrate to the instructor training agency, read-
training program.
ing and language skills commensurate with resource materials
3.1.13 evaluation—the process of verifying clinical and
to be utilized in the ALS/EMT training program.
educational skills and knowledge competencies of an ALS/
5.1.2 Education/Training/Experience—The course I/C can-
EMT instructor.
didate shall:
3.1.14 instructor training program—an educational pro-
5.1.2.1 Have served as a practical skills instructor, clinical
gram that provides a foundation of essential educational
or field preceptor, and successfully completed a supervised
principles to assist individuals to instruct in, or coordinate,
probationary teaching experience in an ALS/EMT training
ALS/EMT programs. It must, at a minimum, contain the
program at the level to be taught to the satisfaction of the
elements of the DOT EMS Instructor National Standard
appropriate agency,
Curriculum.
5.1.2.2 Have advanced clinical certifications, provider or
3.1.15 practical skills instructor—an individual who assists
instructor, or both, as appropriate for the curriculum being
with practical skills instruction under the direction of the
taught,
course instructor/coordinator.
5.1.2.3 Be certified as a CPR instructor according to the
current standards as promulgated by the American Heart
Association or the American Red Cross,
5.1.2.4 Become familiar with appropriate record keeping
Emergency Medical Services InstructorTraining Program:ANational Standard
processes for students, sponsoring agency or state EMS
Curriculum—Instructor’s Lesson Plans, First Edition, 1986 (U.S. DOT/NHTSA
Report No. HS 900–086, February 1986). agency, or both,
F1257–90 (2002)
5.1.2.5 Successfully complete an instructor training pro- 5.1.5.1 Analysis of student outcomes,
gram that includes the knowledge and skills objectives con- 5.1.5.2 Classroom observation of the I/C, and
tained in the DOT Instructor Curriculum. 5.1.5.3 Review of students’ course evaluations.
5.1.3 Scope of Authority—The course I/C shall have
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