Essential Functions of an Emergency Medical Science Student

Essential functions are those considered to be necessary or fundamental to performance of a job.  In postsecondary education, the student’s job is to learn and participate in an academic environment and the clinical environment as well.  The student, with or without reasonable accommodation, must possess these essential functions.

• Physical Requirements:  Must be physically able to operate a variety of types of equipment including computer, calculator, cardiac monitor, other medical equipment, etc.  Must be physically able to exert up to twenty-five pounds of force occasionally and/or frequently lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.  Must be able to lift and/or carry weights up to sixty pounds.
• Data Conception:  Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people, or objects.
• Critical Thinking: Requires the ability to utilize critical thinking skills and analyze patients in the pre-hospital environment during emergency and non-emergency situations.
• Interpersonal Communication: Requires interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with individuals, families, and patients from a diverse group of cultures and backgrounds.
• Communication Skills:  Students shall possess the ability to openly communicate with the public (patient, patient’s friends and family, etc.), government (police, utilities, etc.), and private sector (doctors, nurses, etc.) in an effective and efficient manner conducive to excellent patient advocacy.
• Intelligence:  Students shall possess intelligence sufficient to calculate, draw up, and mix medications as is necessary for drug administration during patient care. Recognition of patients medical or trauma conditions as they relate to skill intervention and application are necessary to patient care.
• Numerical Aptitude:  Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; add, subtract, multiply, and divide numbers; determine percentages and decimals; determine time and weight; apply algebraic, geometric, and trigonometric principles; and utilize descriptive statistics.  Requires the ability to utilize metric systems on a regular basis.
• Ethical Behavior:  Requires the student to provide services with complete respect for human dignity, unrestricted by the considerations of social and economic status, personal attribute, or the nature of the medical issue.
• Legal Behavior:  Emergency Medical Science students are bound to provide care within the scope of practice as defined by the North Carolina Office of EMS designed through the National EMS Scope of Practice Model. Each student must be verifiably competent in the minimum knowledge and skills needed to ensure safe and effective practice at the level of certification required by state licensing.
• Mobility:  Students shall physically retain the ability to stand, walk, and perform patient care for extended periods of time in the pre-hospital setting to include but not be limited to residential housing, confined spaces, wilderness areas, busy intersections and highways, and in other various emergency settings.
• Motor Coordination:  Requires fine motor coordination to position patients and perform life-saving skills in the pre-hospital setting.
• Personal Affect:  Requires the ability to team lead a crew of EMS professionals in an emergency setting and in the clinical setting. Students must demonstrate professionalism, patience, integrity, honesty, and have empathy and compassion towards patient care. Neatness and good personal hygiene are mandatory, and positive attitudes are paramount when receiving constructive criticism.
• Travel:  Requires the ability to travel to and from the College campus, clinical facilities, and other assigned locations off campus.