Va. college's EMS program receives $287K in grants

Tidewater Community College

TIDEWATER, Va. — Tidewater Community College’s EMS program is the recipient of two grants from the Virginia Department of Health, that will keep the college current with the latest equipment and national testing standards.

The two grants, in excess of $287,000, include funds for the purchase of nine iPad-based training EKG monitors needed to implement the updated certification exam for paramedics given by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

As of Jan. 1, 2017, graduates must complete an out-of-hospital scenario reflecting either a pediatric, geriatric or adult patient. Candidates will be provided with a trained paramedic partner who will evaluate the student’s ability to manage a call, effectively communicate and maintain professionalism through a simulated encounter.

“Not only does our new equipment allow us to continue offering certification-based training to our graduates, it lets us provide a more realistic training environment during class,” said Jason Ambrose, program head for EMS at TCC.

Students who complete their Career Studies Certificate at TCC will be prepared to pass the test using new criteria that mimic a realistic patient scenario.

TCC’s Regional Health Professions Center is a testing site for the national exam.