Special Populations and EMS Operations

This unit examines assessment and initial management of medical, obstetric/gynecologic, trauma, and pediatric emergencies while integrating EMS operational principles. It builds on foundational skills from earlier units and prepares learners for summative review and advanced application in the final unit and EMT exam preparation.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze clinical presentations, signs, and pathophysiology of common medical and obstetric/gynecologic emergencies and prioritize assessment and initial interventions within the EMT scope of practice.
• Apply trauma assessment and management protocols—including hemorrhage control, airway and breathing support, spinal motion restriction, and rapid transport decisions—to simulated blunt, penetrating, and multisystem injury scenarios.
• Demonstrate pediatric assessment and treatment skills by performing age-appropriate airway management, psychosocial communication, and weight-based medication calculations during hands-on scenarios with at least 80% skills checklist proficiency.
• Evaluate EMS operations (scene safety, triage, incident command, and legal/ethical considerations) and synthesize unit learning by completing a timed comprehensive practice exam with a target score of at least 75% to indicate readiness for subsequent instruction.