Revised 08/2025
EMS 183 - Advanced Medical Care (2 CR.)
Course Description
Examines the assessment and management of medical emergencies as outlined by the National Emergency Medical Service Education Standards (NEMSES) within the Advanced EMT curriculum. Lecture 2 hours. Total 2 hours per week.
General Course Purpose
The purpose of the course is to introduce the student to the pathophysiology, signs, symptoms, and treatments of medical emergencies.
Course Prerequisites/Corequisites
Prerequisite: Current Virginia EMT and CPR certification as approved by the Virginia Office of EMS. Corequisite: EMS 184: Advanced Medical Care Laboratory.
Course Objectives
- Integrate assessment findings with principles of epidemiology and pathophysiology, including age- related assessment and treatment modifications for pediatric and geriatric patients
- Formulate a field impression and implement a treatment plan for a patient with various medical disorders, including:
- Abdominal and gastrointestinal disorders:
- Acute and chronic gastrointestinal hemorrhage
- Cardiovascular disorders:
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Hypertensive Emergencies
- Aortic aneurysm/dissection
- Thromboembolism
- Heart Failure
- Disorders of the eyes, ears, nose, and throat:
- Epistaxis
- Post-surgical oropharyngeal hemorrhage
- Endocrine Disorders:
- Diabetic emergencies
- Genitourinary/Renal Disorders:
- Complications related to renal dialysis
- Complications related to urinary catheter management
- Kidney Stones
- Sexual Assault
- Hematologic Disorders:
- Sickle Cell Crisis
- Clotting Disorders
- Immunologic Disorders:
- Allergic and anaphylactic reactions
- Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)
- Assessment and management of patients who may have infectious diseases (as well as decontamination procedures for the ambulance and equipment):
- Sepsis and septic shock
- HIV
- Hepatitis B
- Antibiotic Resistance
- Current infectious diseases prevalent in the community
- Vaccine-preventable diseases
- Neurologic Disorders:
- Altered Level of Consciousness
- Seizure
- Stroke
- Dementia vs Delirium
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Headache
- Brief Resolved Unexplained Event (BRUE)
- Parkinson's Disease
- Non-Traumatic Musculoskeletal Disorders:
- Non-traumatic fractures
- Psychiatric or Behavioral Emergencies:
- Basic principles of mental health
- Patterns of violence, abuse, and neglect
- Acute psychosis
- Suicidal ideations
- Excited Delirium
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Medical Fear
- Substance use disorder/addictive behaviors
- PTSD
- Toxicology:
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Nerve agent poisoning
- Opioid toxicity
- Alcohol intoxication and withdrawal
- Poisons (inhaled, ingested, injected, absorbed)
- Abdominal and gastrointestinal disorders:
- Apply knowledge of growth, development, and aging and assessment findings to provide basic and selected advanced emergency care and transportation for a patient with special needs, including:
- Gynecologic Disorders:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Vaginal infections
- Obstetrics (knowledge of normal pregnancy changes, anatomy and physiology, assessment of the pregnant patient):
- Normal delivery
- Vaginal bleeding in the pregnant patient and third trimester and antepartum bleeding (placenta previa, placental abruption)
- Abnormal delivery- nuchal cord, prolapsed cord, breech, shoulder dystocia, prematurity, multiparity
- Spontaneous abortion/ miscarriage
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Preeclampsia/eclampsia
- Postpartum complications
- Newborn/Neonatal Care:
- Newborn stabilization
- Neonatal resuscitation
- Patients with Special Challenges:
- Recognizing and reporting abuse and neglect
- Abuse/ Intimate partner violence
- Neglect
- Child/ Dependent adult maltreatment
- Homelessness
- Poverty
- Bariatrics
- Technology- dependent patients
- Hospice and the terminally ill
- Tracheostomy care/ dysfunction
- Homecare
- Sensory deficit/ loss
- Developmental disability
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Orthotics/ prosthetics
- Gynecologic Disorders: