Effective: 2016-08-01

Course Description

The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.

General Course Purpose

This course provides the knowledge and skills that promote the competence of healthcare providers responsible for the assessment and management of adult patients who present with a variety of medical emergencies.

Course Objectives

• Provide a brief description of the anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology for the underlying etiologies related to a variety of medical complaints.
• Provide an understanding of the importance of an assessment-based approach to assessment and management of patient's with medical complaints.
• Enhance the participant's knowledge and skill in the assessment and management of patient's with a variety of medical complaints.
• Evaluate the differences in medical differential diagnoses that are life threats and require immediate management.
• Support the team approach, for both prehospital and in-hospital healthcare personnel, by utilizing a dynamic assessment process, effective communications, and management skills by healthcare providers at all levels of practice.
• Utilize effective therapeutic communication, clinical reasoning, patter recognition, and decision-making skills to perform comprehensive assessments to identify life-threatening; critical/emergent and nonemergency medical diagnoses, and management strategies, for medical complaints.
• Discuss historical, physical examination, and diagnostic findings to the appropriate body system to determine and modify appropriate differential diagnoses.

Major Topics to be Included

• Advanced Medical Life Support Assessment for the Medical Patient
• Respiratory Disorders
• Cardiovascular Disorders
• Shock
• Neurological Disorders
• Abdominal Disorders
• Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
• Infectious Diseases
• Environmental-Related Disorders
• Toxicology
• Hazardous Materials
• Weapons of Mass Destruction