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 EMT-Continuing Education Problems
This is to advise EMTs
gaining recertification through web-based continuing education
(CE) that they may be risking their certification if they claim
an unreasonable amount of this type of CE for a given timeframe.
Many EMTs are
recertifying through CE rather than 24-hour refresher courses.
Web-based CE can be completed quickly, and from different
locations such as work or home. OCEMS has noted that web-based
CE seems to be used particularly when CE is needed right at
recertification time.
You should be aware of
the following to avoid problems with your certificate:
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CE credit is given for
time actually spent doing the program, and it is not adequate
to simply do the test and get credit. The education is the
important part of CE. Web-based CE programs award varying
amounts of credit, often from 1-12 hours or more for each
class. The person completing the CE is expected to take that
period of time to complete the work, and understand it well
enough to learn something and perhaps change or improve
his/her practice.
-
Recently, there have
been several instances in which EMTs appeared to complete
large amounts of CE in very short time periods, calling into
question whether they really did the CE in good faith, or
simply took the test. We have become aware of occurrences in
which EMTs completed their 24 hours of CE in one, two, or
three hours. In some cases this could be fraudulent continuing
education where the person did not review the educational
material, and quickly took the test. In other cases, it
appeared that the material was of such a nature that it could
be quickly scanned and the tests completed in a much shorter
period of time than the amount awarded.
-
EMTs using web-based
CE are expected to spend the appropriate amount of time on
each program. EMTs should not submit large amounts of CE
credit (e.g. example 24 hours done in one day) for
re-certification. These cases are being reviewed by OCEMS. If
CE cannot be reasonably substantiated, the EMT will be
required, at the very least, to re-do his/her CE. At worst,
the EMT could lose his or her certificate.
For any questions contact OCEMS licensing office at (714)
834-3500.
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