Online Basic EMT (EMT-B) Certification

Would you like to be responsible for caring for sick and injured patients in an emergency setting? The need for qualified emergency personnel continues to grow. If the idea of serving your community appeals to you, an EMT-B certification might be what you need. Refresher courses are also available for those with prior or current certification. To learn how you can complete basic EMT certification or refresher courses online, read on. Schools offering Fire & Emergency Services degrees can also be found in these popular choices.

What Will I Learn in Online Basic EMT Certification Training?

Online basic EMT (EMT-B) training consists of a combination of coursework and practical skills that prepare you to provide basic emergency medical care to injured and sick patients for emergency ambulance services, hospitals, fire departments and police. While coursework can be completed online, the practical skills must be completed on an ambulance or in a hospital. Skills you may learn in your program include:

  • Patient assessment
  • Administering oxygen
  • Bandaging
  • Spinal immobilization
  • Cardiac arrest management
  • Splinting
  • Bleeding control
  • Shock management

Once you complete your coursework and the designated number of fieldwork hours, you're eligible to sit for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam. You qualify for the certification exam for up to two years after completing your program. You must also pass a psychomotor exam prior to NREMT certification. Requirements for state certification vary by state, so research the requirements for your state.

What Are the Prerequisites?

Online EMT-B training has several prerequisites that must be met prior to enrollment. The requirements vary by school but you may need to have a current CPR card, pass a criminal background check, provide proof of current immunizations and demonstrate proficiency in English. Some schools allow you into the training if you're 16 years of age or older, but you are required to be at least 18 in order to take the NREMT exam.

What Topics Do EMT-Basic Refresher Courses Offer?

EMT-B refresher courses are offered online for EMTs interested in enhancing their skills and keeping up with updated standards or for those requiring recertification because their EMT-B national certification has expired within the last two years. In addition to successfully completing the online courses, you must also pass the cognitive and psychomotor exams to obtain national recertification. After completion of the following courses and required exams, you'll be eligible for recertification:

  • EMT health and safety
  • Airway management
  • Medical and behavioral emergencies
  • Trauma
  • Obstetrics, infants and children

How Are Online Courses Presented?

Courses for initial EMT-B certification are delivered asynchronously via lectures, presentations and streaming audio and video. You also submit assignments and tests online. Online EMT-B training typically must be completed in a designated number of hours or weeks.

Refresher courses may be offered in different formats. Some schools allow you to access the course at any time and complete it at your own pace, while others may require your refresher course to be finished within a designated time period. You can communicate with classmates and instructors through e-mail, discussion boards and chat rooms.

To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:

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