Completion of your EMS training and education leads you to the proud moment of certification. The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam is your next move towards certification as a licensed EMT or paramedic. The NREMT based exams are developed in order to make certain that all paramedic candidates receive an allocation of knowledge, and in particular, from six chief categories: Airway & Breathing, Cardiology, Medical, Trauma, OB/Gyn/Peds, and Operations. Each of these categories are covered in EMT and EMT paramedic training courses. The number of elements from each category is determined by an examination test plan (also known as a blueprint or pilot test) which has been approved by the NREMT Board of Directors. The exam includes cognitive and psychomotor portions.
Regardless of what area of EMS service you plan to go in to, Wilderness EMS, Life-Flight Paramedic, or Trauma Medic, to be recognized and licensed for employment, you need to take and pass the NREMT exam.
The Exam:
The NREMT uses computer generated testing to deliver First Responder, EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate/85, and Paramedic examinations. All NREMT certification levels require successful completion of both cognitive and psychomotor exams, and the test can end when a success rate of 95% has been met. Individual portions do not need to be passed on the same day of testing. If you passed a portion of the exam (both cognitive and psychomotor) the exam results will remain valid for a twelve month period. If you do not complete the remaining portion of the NREMT exam within that twelve month period, your test is defunct and you must start over.
Exam questions are set forth in multiple choice format, with 4 possible answers. Appropriately 85% percent of the exam encompasses scenarios and care for adult patients and 15% cover pediatric patients. All questions are designed using a committee of EMS professionals who must be in agreement that the question is in accordance with the most up to date practice analysis study.
The NREMT implements a Computer Based Testing (CBT) program which is named CAT or Computer Adaptive Testing. Each exam is customized exclusively for the individual candidate. The CAT matches up the difficulty of each question towards the individual’s identified degree. For instance, a candidate testing for EMT Intermediate will not have the same level of testing as one texting for paramedic certification. Each exam is tailored exclusively for a single individual. The CAT test matches up the difficulty of each question for the individual’s determined ability, limiting the quantity of questions presented to match the candidate and therefore increasing accurateness.
As the exam begins and questions commence to be presented (one at a time), the questions become somewhat harder or easier based upon the person’s capabilities. As the testing progresses, the ability assessment gets increasingly more accurate as the pattern of right to wrong answers balances from within the candidate’s true skill capacity. The test ends the moment there is a 95% guarantee that the individual’s true ability is above or below the passing standard. This is important to know because it means you mustn’t be concerned if your test seems too short or too long. It is created to help you achieve success and to “test” according to your individual abilities. Each CBT question has a calculated point value. This will be based upon the difficulty of the particular question. The more difficult the question, the higher point value. A simpler question carries a lower point value.
Before testing, be sure you have a thorough grasp of your EMS training. Don’t neglect studying, even if you were at the top of your training courses, take advantage of the many NREMT practice tests available.
If you fail the exam, you may retake it after 14 days. Just be sure to use this two week period for additional studies and find out where your weakness lies.
The psychomotor examination is hands-on, allowing you to demonstrate the skills you have learned in your EMS courses. For advanced levels of certification, you must register for an Advanced Level Psychomotor Examination. This part of the examination consists of ten skills presented in a scenario-type format. All skills have been standardized, developed, and approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation National EMS Education Standards (EMT and/or AEMT), the American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and ECC, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Trauma Triage Protocol.
Successful completion of the NREMT exam enables an EMT or paramedic to be certified to employ their emergency medical training into service for up to two years. Upon expiration, EMS personnel are required to have their certification renewed. Needless to say, an EMT and EMT paramedic must re-certify ahead of the expiration date so as to stay employed in their occupation.