Emergency Care Provider (ECP)

ECP 100 First Aid and CPR

Credits: 1

Term: (Not Currently Offered)

This course is designed so students can receive their First Aid and BLS for Healthcare Providers CPR card. The students will be exposed to the skills of CPR for victims of all ages (including ventilation with a barrier device, a bag-mask device, and oxygen), use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), and relief of foreign-body airway obstruction (FBAO).

ECP 131 Emergency Medical Technician with Clinical

Credits: 7 (4 Lecture, 2 Skills Lab, 1 Clinical)

Term: (F, S)

This course is the nationally recommended minimum level of training for ambulance personnel and is considered the desired level of medical training by many fire departments. The course focuses on skill development in the primary responsibilities of the EMT, which are to bring emergency medical care to victims of emergencies, to stabilize their condition, and to transport them safely and expeditiously to an appropriate facility. This course is a combination of classroom work and practical experience. Upon successful completion of the course, graduates are eligible to sit for the Montana and National Registry certification examinations. All aspects of authorization/certification are the responsibility of the student. Note: Students must be 18 years of age and have a current BLS HCP card to take the national certification examination; however, students may be younger to take this course.

ECP 203 Fundamentals of Advanced Care

Credits: 3

Term: (Currently not offered)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor and acceptance into the Paramedic program

This course provides an introduction to the practice of paramedicine and will provide the student with information regarding preparatory aspects of the pre-hospital environment. Topics include: role and responsibilities of the Paramedic, well-being of the Paramedic, injury prevention, medical-legal issues, ethics, assessment and management, communication and documentation, pharmacology, venous access and medication administration, as well as airway management and ventilation.

ECP 209 Paramedic I

Credits: 3

Term: (Currently not offered)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor and acceptance into the Paramedic program

This course provides information as it relates to patient etiologies for medical emergencies in and out of hospital setting in the areas such as, neurological, and endocrine emergencies. This course also covers allergic reactions, infection and communicable diseases, and gastrointestinal, toxicological and urological emergencies. Finally, this course will explore hematological, environmental, EENT, and behavioral emergencies. Assessment and management of the topic areas will be discussed and evaluated. An understanding of the assessment process and the pathophysiology will be vital in managing patients with these course topics.

ECP 210 Paramedic II

Credits: 3

Term: (Currently not offered)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor and acceptance into the Paramedic program

This course provides information as it relates to patient etiologies for medical emergencies in and out of hospital setting in the areas of Shock shock and cardiac care. The course provides a foundation and understanding in both basic and 12 ECG interpretation. Advance cardiac life support algorhythms algorithms will be detailed and practiced. The Use use of a manual defibulator defibrillator and cardiac monitor are also covered. Assessment and management of patients in shock or having cardiac emergencies will be discussed and evaluated. An understanding of the assessment process and the pathophysiology will be vital in managing patients with these course topics.

ECP 211 Paramedic I/II Lab

Credits: 2

Term: (Currently not offered)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor and acceptance into the Paramedic program

This course provides the student with laboratory experience in the areas of assessment, physical examination, history gathering, basic and advanced airway management skills, pharmacology, and the initiation and management of fluid therapy (topics covered in Fundamentals of Advance Care), as well as reinforcement and application of the medical emergencies covered in Paramedic I and II.

ECP 212 Advanced Cardiac Life Support

Credits: 1

Term: (Currently not offered)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor

This course provides instruction and assistance to students in preparing for the American Heart Association’s Advanced Cardiac Support Provider Course. ACLS covers course topics of advanced cardiac life support assessment and management of the patients with acute cardiac conditions including cardiac arrest, tachycardia, bradycardia, stroke, and acute coronary syndrome.

ECP 215 Clinical I

Credits: 3

Term: (Currently not offered)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor and acceptance into the Paramedic program

This course introduces Paramedic students to the clinical arena and starts their ambulance ride-along experience. Students will be scheduled for shifts in the emergency department. They will gain experience assessing patients experiencing real-life emergencies. They will also gain experience performing EMS skills such as IVs, medication administration, performing 12 lead ECGs, and airway management skills with a focus on endotracheal intubation. Students will also be scheduled in the surgical department. During the ride-along experience, students will become acquainted with the operations of an ambulance service. Students will focus on how they can be an effective team member of an ambulance crew and gain needed experience in assessment and management of medical emergencies in the pre-hospital setting.

ECP 237 Paramedic III

Credits: 3

Term: (Currently not offered)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECP 209 and ECP 210, or consent of instructor

This course will introduce or reinforce the understanding, assessment, and management practices within the scope of a paramedic in the area of traumatic emergencies and ambulance operations. The first part of the course will cover trauma in the areas of trauma systems and mechanisms of injury, hemorrhage and shock, soft tissue trauma, burns, head and facial trauma, spinal trauma, thoracic trauma, abdominal trauma, and musculoskeletal trauma. The second part of this course will focus on ambulance operations, which include medical incident command, rescue awareness and operations, crime scene awareness, hazardous materials incidents, and bioterrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Additionally, the course will prepare the successful candidate for the rigorous National Registry Certification examination. The Fisdap Paramedic readiness examination will be utilized as the final for both ECP 237 and ECP 238.

ECP 238 Paramedic IV

Credits: 3

Term: (Currently not offered)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECP 209 and ECP 210, or consent of instructor

This course will complete the student’s investigation into medical emergencies including gynecology, obstetrics, neonatology, pediatrics, and geriatrics. Other special considerations will include emergencies in the elderly, abuse and assault, patients with special challenges, and acute interventions for the chronic care patient. Students will be required to research an EMS related subject (as approved by instructor) and present their findings to the class. Additionally, it will be within the scope of this course to prepare the successful candidate for the rigorous National Registry Certification examination. The Fisdap Paramedic readiness examination will utilized as the final for both ECP 237 and ECP 238.

ECP 239 Paramedic III/IV Lab

Credits: 2

Term: (Currently not offered)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor

This course is a continuation of ECP 211, with reinforcement and application of topics previously covered, such as airway and breathing management skills, cardiac assessment and management, and the assessment and management of a medical patient. This course will also introduce and reinforce assessment and management of pediatric emergencies, obstetrics emergencies, and traumatic emergencies.

ECP 240 Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support

Credits: 1

Term: (Currently not offered)

The PHTLS program is a 16 hour national standard curriculum which attempts to increase each student’s understanding and skills in prehospital trauma management. This increased understanding of the kinematics, pathophysiology, systemic impact, and intervention techniques will result in improving the assessment and treatment of the multisystem trauma patient and offer a perspective to the patient’s individual needs that may exceed traditional treatment modalities.

ECP 241 Pediatric Advanced Life Support

Credits: 1

Term: (Currently not offered)

This course provides instruction and assistance to students in preparing for the American Heart Association’s Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Support Provider Course. PAL’S covers course topics of pediatric advanced cardiac life support, as well as assessment and management of the pediatric patient with regards to respiratory emergencies and shock.

ECP 245 Clinical II

Credits: 4

Term: (Currently not offered)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor

The clinical and field internship experience allows the students to integrate knowledge and skills from the classroom setting into actual patient care in the hospital and field domain. Students are expected to complete their clinical (in in-hospital) experience in anticipation of starting their internship. Students will continue to interact with hospital staff in clinical areas such as Pediatrics, OBGYN, ICU, CICU, Behavioral, OR, and ER. Students also continue ambulance ride ride-alongs with an area of focus specific of advance life support.

ECP 298 Field Internship

Credits: 6

Term: (Currently not offered)

This course is the final stage of the paramedic technical core classes, with 360 minimum numbers of hours. This course continues with the application of advanced life support skills and assessment techniques (phase II), transitioning into team leadership (phase III) as a paramedic student.