NREMT-P New Integrated Scenario

[Bent_Halligan]

Im about to take the new practical assessment that started this year, January. I finished medic school last year, when they weren't teaching for the integrated out of hospital scenario. Im concerned that since you only have one scenario now, that its going to be some crazy combination of all the stations from the previous version of practicals thrown into one. Maybe a hypoglycemic MVA with a tension pneumo, a couple of precision gunshots, torsades on the monitor, black widow bite, an amputation or two, a few nuns and babys in the car with respiratory failure and massive STEMI. Can anyone shed some light on this? What was the scenario like when you took it?

[Just Plain Ruff]

don't forget Ebola and a isolated stubbed toe injury that had turned gangrenous that you won't find until the scenario is over and that gangrene ends up killing the patient because you didn't transport to one of the only two hospitals in your region that can take care of Ebola and isolated gangrenous stubbed toe syndrome.  

 

So in essence,  NO SOUP FOR YOU!! 

 

But seriously,  I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill, but then again, maybe you will get a scenario with a plane crash into a molehill.  

Edited April 26, 2017 by Just Plain Ruff

[chbare]

Being involved in the PCPP transition process and setting up for integrated scenario testing, I can say that the scenarios have been much more pedestrian than a massive STEMI in a car crash with Torsades. 

With that said, the scenarios do not need to be complex because what they require from candidates is a completely different way of thinking as opposed to the traditional trauma and medical skills stations that focus on verbalisation and "ghost" partners. 

One of the most significant challenges that I foresee is the fact that these scenarios are so logistically demanding, it will put a significant strain on test sites. One of the first was recently run in my state and with just a modest number of students, it took several hours. It's quite possible that multi-day test sites will emerge in order to accommodate the integrated scenarios. 

My college has one coming up in the next couple of months and luckily, it looks like we will be able to work with a high fidelity training lab in order to test the candidates. However, all of these resources will be thrown at testing half a dozen students. 

I forsee significant challenges to test sites in the future. Likely, this could mean candidates will have a hard time finding an open test site and will likely have to pay substantial fees in order to offset the cost of logistics and man-power. 

As it is, our test site will be closed and we will not accept any outside candidates like we used to in the past. 

This says nothing about the logistical requirements for programs that now must complete a portfolio on every prospective paramedic before said candidate can even consider psychomotor testing. With national funding trends when looking at colleges, I'd say programs will need to become very creative and adaptable in order to meet these logistical challenges. Also, you will need to get very good at grant writing. 

Over the next year or so, the testing process is likely to change as the National Registry collects data on the new exam process, so be on the look out for additional guidance. 

Edited May 9, 2017 by chbare