INTRODUCTION The purpose of this course is to prepare you for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) Paramedic Examination—the test that must be taken as part of the
paramedic certification process. This course includes clinical and nonclinical information you must know in order to pass the test, with an emphasis on clinical care in the practice of EMS. The test is the most advanced examination taken by emergency medicine personnel, which is reflected in an increased complexity over other NREMT examinations. Chapter one focuses on normal cell physiology, normal acid-base physiology, and acid base disorders. Understanding cell physiology as an EMT-Paramedic is necessary because cells are
the building blocks of the body and make up every physiological response that happens in the body. An example of this is acid base disorders. This chapter discusses acid-base physiology
and disorders involving acids, bases, and the pH of the blood. Chapter two involves a discussion about shock. While shock is considered a situation of low blood pressure for various reasons, including sepsis and hypovolemia, it is actually a great deal
more than that. Shock decreases the tissue perfusion to major organs, leading to metabolic acidosis and acute end-organ failure. The treatment of shock must take place as soon as it is
identified in order to prevent tissue hypoxia, permanent end organ damage, and death from multiple organ failure. The subjects of chapter three are the drugs used by paramedics in the EMS system, which can be given by any number of routes, as well as intravenous and intraosseous lines. What’s unique to paramedics versus other EMS personnel is that the paramedic can give a wide variety of medications, including medications given intravenously. The paramedic must know the basics of starting an intravenous line, the different types of intravenous fluids given, and the purpose of an intraosseous line. These things are all covered in this chapter. 1
