Please explain the difference between EMT USA vs. EMT CANADA

[windsong]

I'm trying to explain to my friend the difference between the EMT in the USA and EMT in Canada.

she doesnt understand, so I need your help maybe you can explain a little bit more differently for me

and I can point her to this. Because we argue about my role wanting to be an EMT, but she says no you

want to be a paramedic and I'm like no I dont want to be one of them, no offense its not for me.

She thinks Calgary doesnt have EMT's only Medics. Because she has health problems and she has only had medics come.

How long is the course for EMT in Canada vs. the EMT in the USA

Hey Dust------------your a QT

[Mikeyg]

Calgary does take on EMT'S rarely but they do. We do have EMT's. To become a paramedic you have to be a EMT first. acp Every province has there own testing,regulations,just like every state has that. Some things are similiar some are not. research wont kill you Check out the links.

[AZCEP]

Check NREMT.org for the testing requirements in the U.S. for EMT's, NAEMT might have a better description of the actual work though.

Most Canadian provinces use the Primary Care Paramedic as the designation for the BLS provider, so that might be where the confusion lies.

[canuckEMT]

Calgary EMS has and does hire EMT's. To get hired by Calgary as an EMT though you have to be a first or second year paramedic student. I have had four friends that have been hired by Calgary EMS and they were all first year medic students, hired while they were attending classes @ SAIT in the Calgary EMT-P Outreach program.

As for EMT's in Canada, or should I say Alberta ( as our training seems to be a little higher than the national scope), is that we get IV's, Cardiac Monitoring, Entonox, Nasotracheal Suction, Pneumatic CPR, MAST Pants. And soon to be the symptomatic relief module of Ventolin and Atrovent administration via nebulizer ( and not Pt assist ), Epinepherine IM, Glucagon IM, D50W - D25W. If I have missed anything I apologise as I am lacking sleep.

Also another difference in Canada is that Ontario's training for EMT (PCP) is two years whereas Alberta's is approx 8 months depending on practicum placements.

I am unsure though of the duration of EMT programs in the USA. Basically a general comparison done between Canada and the US is :

Canada EMR = EMT-B in the US

Canada EMT = EMT-I in the US ( depending on scope between the different states)

[vs-eh?]

I believe that Alberta is the only province to still use "EMT" as part of their designation for pre-hospital provider. All other provinces have adopted to NOCP designations of EMR, PCP, ACP, and CCP. As I recall for grouping purposes EMR is separate from the 3 paramedics levels primarily based on education and scope.

If you are currently an EMR, then I would assume you would mirror the EMR competencies as set in the NOCP's. I don't know exactly what they are as I never did an EMR or first responder course. That and Ontario does not use EMR's in the same sense as I'm sure you are used. EMR's do not function in a 911 type environment other than the assumption that FD's here are trained to an EMR type level.

EMT-A is the designation I think you use as your main 911 BLS provider. EMT-A for practical purposes would be equivalent to a national Primary Care Paramedic level. The will be provincial variances in education and scope of practice. Most PCP providers use standard BLS procedures +/- IV therapy and a handful of drugs normally assigned to the "symptom relief" realm of pharmacology. Program duration I would guess averages about a year full time of college, with Ontario being the longest at 2 years. PCP is NOT to be equated somehow to the EMT-B level seen in the US. There have been many posts discussing why, but long story short education, clinical, and preceptor time FAR exceeds any EMT-B program.

Alberta's EMT-P is generally equivalent to the national ACP (Advanced Care Paramedic, not Alberta College of Paramedics). Though I have heard that in certain areas lines are more blurred between ACP and CCP. ACP programs are between 1 and 2 years on top of your PCP education. Generally people have 1+ years of independent practice as a PCP prior to ACP. The American EMT-P is generally equivalent to the Canadian ACP. Again, however based on readings on this board, education, clinical, and preceptor time is more in depth and involved in Canada.

CCP or Critical Care Paramedic is the rarest scope of practice in Canada. I believe only BC, Nova Scotia, and Ontario formally recognize the level and allow practice. With Ontario currently being the only place for formal education at the CCP level (though I could be wrong). In Ontario if you were starting from scratch, it would take you 4 years of full time education (2 for PCP, 1 for ACP, and 1 for CCP) to become a CCP. This does not include several years of independent practice required at each stage before continuing...CCP is NOT equivalent to the CCEMT-P (American Critical Care Paramedic). The American CCEMT-P is only a 2 week course ( I believe) to get that designation...Though if you look at flightweb.com those guys (who are FP-C) seem like they are pretty educated, though obviously the exception.

Check out http://www.gov.ns.ca/ehs/paramedics.htm it gives a good brakedown of things in Nova Scotia that I'm sure are pretty similar to the NOCP brakedown. I couldn't find a link to the actual NOCP's...

Good explanation? I though so...

/thread