NREMT-P exam to recertify

[chad]

I'm just curious since the NREMT has had the option for nationally registered EMT'S and Paramedics to recertify using the recertification by exam method how many have actually done it? What are your thoughts? Test results? Was it harder then the 1st time you took it and passed?

[chad]

I'm just curious since the NREMT has had the option for nationally registered EMT'S and Paramedics to recertify using the recertification by exam method how many have actually done it? What are your thoughts? Test results? Was it harder then the 1st time you took it and passed?

Well, no one has replied to this forum and being as curious as I was...I went and retook my NREMT-P exam to recert. I have been out of school for almost 4 years now and figured that I wouldn't stand a chance. My appointment to test was at 0900, by 1000 I was done. The entire 80 questions that I answered. Now at this point I figured I either rocked that test, or I did very poorly on the exam. With over 1/2 the questions being just completely stupid and almost having nothing to do with the field practice of a medic. And of course I had to wait about 3 hours to get my results...Surprisingly when I looked on my online NREMT account this is what I seen...CONGRATULATIONS! You have successfully demonstrated your continued cognitive competency by passing the National Certification examination. Looks like I'm good for another 2 years. My thoughts on retaking this test even after it only being 4 years..The test seems to concentrate on the little book details rather then the critical thinking of an actual medic. Now according to the NREMT the minimum number of questions for the paramedic level is 80... and the max number is 150.... So I must of rocked that test. I would like to get others opinions on if you think taking the NREMT exam is a good way to recert or not or like in my previous post, if any of you have attempted it and either been successful on the exam or unsucessful. Regardless, I am very interested in this topic with recertification right around the corner. When I took the NREMT-P exam on CBT the first time I answered 90 questions and with retaking it 4 years later and only answering 80...But that damn thing seemed so much harder this time around.

Edited January 2, 2011 by chad

[Medic7714]

I honestly didn't think the computer exam was difficult at all. When I took it I think it shut me off at like 84 or 86 questions. I walked out like most having no idea how I did. I felt like it was up in the air but luckily I passed. I did think that the questions were relevant though.

I'm not sure I want to go that route when I recert though....lol. Im thinking the refresher course may be better for me.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[DwayneEMTP]

Hey Chad, thanks for following up on your previous post even though you got no feedback.

I seem to remember this post but had nothing to add so stayed quiet. Maybe everyone else was the same..

So that was 100% of your recert requirement, or was it only part of it? I would love to recert via NREMT test as its one of the easiest that I've taken as a medic.

Thanks again brother for the follow up. I would be grateful for any info you can share.

Dwayne

[MetalMedic]

I honestly didn't think the computer exam was difficult at all. When I took it I think it shut me off at like 84 or 86 questions. I walked out like most having no idea how I did.

Our instructor mentioned that there is a huge bank of questions, but at times it will shut off early based on how well you are doing. He mentioned just because it shuts off it doesn't mean you passed, but it doesn't mean you failed earlier.

When I took my P/C Insurance test it shut off early for me. I passed with 90%, when I went to take L/H insurance It shut off early again and I totally bombed it. So it's a crap shoot.

-MetalMedic.

[ccmedoc]

Hey Chad, thanks for following up on your previous post even though you got no feedback.

I seem to remember this post but had nothing to add so stayed quiet. Maybe everyone else was the same..

So that was 100% of your recert requirement, or was it only part of it? I would love to recert via NREMT test as its one of the easiest that I've taken as a medic.

Thanks again brother for the follow up. I would be grateful for any info you can share.

Dwayne

I recertify every two years by taking the test and having my paperwork signed..thats it.

I have done it this way for years, as we have little in the way of CEU or re-training classes in the areas I have been in.

Apply for testing online, set date, pass test (usually know w/in 48 hrs), get paperwork signed, and your done..

The test is not getting any harder, I can tell you that..LOL

I used to take the test every so often to monitor test difficulty for my students, now at least I seem to benefit from the 45 min of time invested..(I'm a slow test taker)

[DwayneEMTP]

I recertify every two years by taking the test and having my paperwork signed..thats it.

I have done it this way for years, as we have little in the way of CEU or re-training classes in the areas I have been in.

Apply for testing online, set date, pass test (usually know w/in 48 hrs), get paperwork signed, and your done..

The test is not getting any harder, I can tell you that..LOL

I used to take the test every so often to monitor test difficulty for my students, now at least I seem to benefit from the 45 min of time invested..(I'm a slow test taker)

Get the paperwork signed by who?

Thanks for the help Medoc...been missing seeing you around here!

Dwayne

[scott33]

Get the paperwork signed by who?

Your medical director and / or whoever would normally sign your CME paperwork.

You are still required to be signed off as competent in some of the practical skills after taking the written.

The recert by exam form is below.

https://www.nremt.org/nremt/downloads/54329%20paramedic%20form.pdf

[ccmedoc]

Yeah, get the Medical director to sign (or representative) and either the same or a training officer to check the requisite boxes. You can be certified as competent by chart review, clinical stations, etc. as determined by the training staff. Most times they know you enough to just sign off (I would hope )

This is the only way I can keep NREMT cert as I do not have enough time to accumulate 72 CEU and nursing does not cross over..

The letter you get for recert should explain it, as does the website..

On a side note..interesting how little things actually have changed around here..the site looks good, but its been a year since I last logged in and the topics are eerily familiar..Guess thats a good thing meaning more new members or visitors, but bad in that they dont read back or (re)search....

I guess rehashing isn't bad, as I have seen some of my views change drastically in the last few years..Open mind and learning does that to a person I guess..LOL

@MetalMedic the CBT(computer based test) is adaptive (CAT) meaning that unlike a standard CBT, either random or fixed, the CAT initially gives the test taker a bank of "medium" difficulty or base questions. The test then adapts the difficulty to the test taker's initial responses.

That is to say, if you answer 3 high difficulty questions in a certain area correctly you may not see any more questions on that subject as you have been deemed "competent" by the computer. You may have to answer more "easy" or "medium" type questions with fewer misses to achieve the same "competence". You generally have to be at a certain percent, say 70%, without dropping below a certain threshold (65%) for a given bank of questions.

This is why people that miss a couple of high difficulty questions, but answer 4-5 (just sayin) medium questions correct, have a test shut off at 85 questions and they pass. If the next person answers one difficult question correct, but misses the easier ones (4-5) and drops below the threshold, they may shut off at the same number and fail.

There is a theory that, since the test shuts off when it determines competence or not, if the last question answered is known correct you passed, if you miss the last question before it shuts off you fail. Most experts that write these tests deny this, but statistically it makes sense.

The "beauty" of these are is that the test computer plays to your strengths and everyone has a fairly equal chance of passing or failing. In a static test it is similar, but difficult to write many tests, so cheating is (can be) prevalent. True random tests may put one tester in a majority of high difficulty questions, while another gets easy ones. Cheating is difficult, but so is studying for the CAT. You should know a little about a lot, not the other way around.

This is difficult to explain, I hope I did OK..

The last time I took the test, I had a ton of mother/baby/infant, lab value, electrolyte adjustment and antidote questions. Something that I have heard little about from others taking the tests...

EDIT: Additional Text

Edited March 25, 2011 by ccmedoc

[DwayneEMTP]

...

Yeah, get the Medical director to sign (or representative) and either the same or a training officer to check the requisite boxes. You can be certified as competent by chart review, clinical stations, etc. as determined by the training staff. Most times they know you enough to just sign off (I would hope )

Gotcha, thanks again. The two times that I've recerted I've had plenty of CEUs and the office took care of the rest.

...On a side note..interesting how little things actually have changed around here..the site looks good, but its been a year since I last logged in and the topics are eerily familiar..Guess thats a good thing meaning more new members or visitors, but bad in that they dont read back or (re)search....

Yeah, I get irritated sometimes when people bag on the new folks for reviving old threads, or starting new topics that have been discussed before because I believe that the value is participating in the discussion. Where one can get a ton of benefit from actively discussing a topic, they may get almost none by simply reading the thread.

...I guess rehashing isn't bad, as I have seen some of my views change drastically in the last few years..Open mind and learning does that to a person I guess..LOL

And hopefully there is plenty of this also, happening to all of us. It's good to have you back man!!

Dwayne