Working as an EMT can be incredibly rewarding if you long to help those who are unable to help themselves. As an EMT, you will provide health support to individuals of all ages who are not yet at the hospital. This could include stabilizing them, providing life-sustaining support and transporting them.

Although many of your runs as an EMT will be for routine everyday needs, such as transporting nursing home patients to appointments, you will certainly have some trips that stretch you in your knowledge, skills and confidence levels. That is why the state requires you to complete a state-approved Emergency Medical Technician course and to pass the national examination before you begin providing this type of care.

At Project Heartbeat, we offer several options to help meet these needs for individuals wanting to get started in this rewarding career. The most popular option is our EMT-B or basic training class, a five-week EMT training class that helps you to get into the workforce quickly. We also offer an EMT refresher course if your certification has lapsed, as well as a skills verification class if you are renewing your certification.

Before you can begin an EMT certification course with Project Heartbeat, you must meet the following requirements, which are typically the same as, or similar to, most places in California and throughout the country. These requirements ensure that you are physically and mentally prepared for taking this course and continuing in your career.

  • Be 18 years old or above
  • Have a high school diploma or GED
  • Be BLS certified
  • Be up-to-date on basic immunizations
  • Be physically healthy enough to lift heavy loads, stand, kneel, climb and perform other physically demanding tasks

Once you have completed this course, you will be ready to take the EMT certification examination. Although it can seem stressful to take a test to determine the rest of your career, there are several things that you can do to ensure that you are fully prepared.

First, you should certainly study plenty for your test, but you should refrain from over studying especially the day before the test. Second, focus on certain words in the test that let you know that the situation is critical, such as words indicating a problem with the patient’s airway or an altered mental status. Third, remember that the test will be based on national norms. Therefore, there will be no regionally specific questions. Finally, be aware that the first part of the test is a computer-adapted examination, and the second part is a psychomotor test during which you will prove your competence while performing a variety of skills.

You will have up to three tries to pass the examination. If you do not pass it after the third try, you will need to complete a remedial class before being given three additional attempts. Your certification will last for two years at which time you can choose to re-certify by completing continuing education or by retaking the test if you have not completed sufficient continuing education classes within that time.

Although it may seem stressful to go through the EMT certification training and testing process, you can be sure that your hard work will pay off as soon as you go on your first run as a state-certified EMT. Sign up today or contact us to discuss your EMT training needs.