CERTIFICATIONS
 

EMD Certification Course

The Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) has been recognized as an essential component of effective EMS systems. Proper and timely training as well as a sound medical protocol are what help EMDs deliver quality care to the calling public with emergency medical needs.

Over the past decade, Medical Priority's EMD Certification Course has become the standard for EMD training. The course meets or exceeds all national criteria set by A.S.T.M., U.S Department of Transportation, National Association of EMS Physicians, and others.

The EMD Certification Course includes Medical Priority's EMD Course Manual. Available separately are the Advanced MPDS card sets, ProQA software, and the Principles of Emergency Medical Dispatch reference textbook.

Participants who complete the 3-day course will be eligible for certification through the National (or International) Academy of EMD. To be EMD-certified, the applicant must also be CPR-certified through the National Safety Council, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, European Resuscitation Council or equivalent. We recommend this training be completed prior to attending the EMD course.

EMD-Q Certification Course

The National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch (NAEMD) "EMD-Q" certification is the cornerstone of EMD quality management systems using the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS). In order to obtain optimum value, performance, and insulation from liability with the implementation of the MPDS and EMD certification, EMD activity must be assessed and measured.

Certification as an EMD-Q is the first step toward establishing a quality management process that will significantly reduce communication center liability, improve operational performance, and increase professionalism and performance of EMD staff.

Emergency Medical Dispatch:

Skills include: Call intake/Call allocator; medical interrogation; medical pre-arrival and post-dispatch instructions; medical call prioritization; EMS resource allocation and management.
Hours of training: 24 hours minimum.
Licensure requirements: written exam; successful completion of a CPR Provider Course. Licensure period is for 2 years.
Relicensure requirements: Current CPR Provider; 24 hours of continuing dispatch education.

ETC Certification Course

The ETC program is designed and produced by the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED). The course (40 hours minimum) is designed to train new employees unfamiliar with emergency communication centers, emergency telecommunication technology, interpersonal communication, legal issues, and job stress factors.

The program takes an integrated teaching approach that features comprehensive content, multimedia presentations, and hands-on training.

The course covers the following topics:

• Roles and Responsibilities of the Emergency Telecommunicator
• Emergency Telecommunication Technologies
• Telecommunication Essentials
• Interpersonal Communication
• Caller Management
• Police Call Classification
• Fire Call Classification
• Medical Call Classification
• Man-Made and Natural Catastrophic Events
• Radio Broadcast Procedures
• Legal Aspects of Public Safety Communication
• Quality Improvement
• Stress Management