The purpose of this rule is to define standards for EMS instructors teaching courses within a Florida-certified primary EMS training center. The proposed rule will ensure that any individual teaching emergency medical technicians and paramedics, in ...

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Division of Emergency Medical Operations

RULE NO: RULE TITLE
64J-1.0201: EMS Instructor Qualifications
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of this rule is to define standards for EMS instructors teaching courses within a Florida-certified primary EMS training center. The proposed rule will ensure that any individual teaching emergency medical technicians and paramedics, in a Florida-approved training program has at least the required minimum qualifications. This will enhance the quality of education students receive and enhance the quality of EMS professionals graduating and seeking employment in EMS. The effect will be a new rule section as listed above.
SUMMARY: Currently there are no emergency medical services (EMS) instructor qualifications established in rule. The purpose of the rule is to establish minimum EMS instructor qualifications. The proposed rule will ensure that any individual teaching emergency medical technicians and paramedics, in a Florida approved training program, has at least the required minimum qualifications. This will enhance the quality of education students receive and enhance the quality of EMS professionals graduating and seeking employment in EMS.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 401.27, 401.2715 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 401.27, 401.2715 FS.
IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE,TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW(IF NOT REQUESTED, THIS HEARING WILL NOT BE HELD):
DATE AND TIME: June 9, 2009, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
PLACE: Florida Department of Health, 4025 Esplanade Way, 3rd Floor, Room 301,Tallahassee, FL 32399
A conference line will be available for those unable to attend in person. We request that parties from the same agency utilize one line if possible to allow other participants to dial in.
Toll free conference number: 1(888)808-6959; Conference code: 1454440
REQUEST FOR HEARING MUST BE RECEIVED IN WRITING TO: Lisa Walker, Government Analyst II at the address below.
Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 24 hours before the workshop/meeting by contacting: Alexander Macy, Administrative Assistant I, Bureau of EMS, [phone], ext. *2735, or by email at: [e-mail]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Lisa Walker, Government Analyst II, Bureau of EMS, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #C18, Tallahassee, FL 32399; phone: [phone], ext. 2733; or email [e-mail]. NOTE: If you have written comments that you wish to be added to the record please send them to Lisa Walker before the hearing so your comments may be read into the record.

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

64J-1.0201 EMS Instructor Qualifications.

(1) To be eligible for approval as an EMS Training Program, an applicant must ensure, with supporting documentation, that each instructor has met the standards listed below for their instructor position(s) as listed in the school’s Emergency Medical Services Training Program’s DH Form 1698, December 2008, Application for Approval of an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Training Program, which is incorporated by reference in subsection 64J-1.020(2), F.A.C., and is available from the department, as defined by subsection 64J-1.001(9), F.A.C., or at http://www.fl-ems.com.

(2) Any lead or adjunct instructor currently teaching in a Florida-approved EMS Training Program that does not qualify for an exemption at the time of implementation of this rule may continue in their role and will have two years to complete the required coursework for the level of instruction they are employed.

(3) Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Instructors.

(a) Program Directors, Levels A and B.

1. Must have successfully completed Levels A and B coursework listed in Table I and Table II as identified in the National Guidelines for Educating EMS Instructors, August, 2002 edition, or has qualified for one of the exemptions in subsection 64J-1.0201(5), F.A.C.

2. Have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the United States Department of Education.

3. Program Directors who do not possess a Bachelor’s degree and are employed by a Florida-approved EMS Training Program at time of implementation of this rule will have until July 1, 2014 to obtain their Bachelor’s degree.

4. Be certified as a Florida paramedic, in good standing with the department, with at least four years field level provider experience in the prehospital environment with an Advanced Life Support (ALS) provider.

5. Must have a minimum of two years teaching experience as a Level B instructor.

(b) Lead Instructors, Program Coordinators, Levels A and B.

1. Has successfully completed the Levels A and B instructor coursework listed in Table I and Table II and as identified in the National Guidelines for Educating EMS Instructors, August, 2002 edition or has qualified for one of the exemptions in subsection 64J-1.0201(5), F.A.C.

2. Be certified as a Florida paramedic in good standing with the department, with at least four years field level provider experience in the pre-hospital environment with an ALS provider.

3. Have a minimum of an Associate’s degree from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the United States Department of Education.

4. Lead instructors who do not possess an Associate’s degree and are teaching in a Florida-approved EMS Training Program at time of implementation of this rule will have until July 1, 2013 to obtain their Associate’s degree.

5. Must have at least two years teaching experience in EMS education.

(4) Adjunct Faculty.

(a) Must have successfully completed the Level A coursework listed in Table I as identified in the National Guidelines for Educating EMS Instructors, August, 2002 edition, or has qualified for one of the exemptions in subsection 64J-1.0201(5), F.A.C.

(b) For First Responder or Emergency Medical Technician Training Programs, must be certified as a Florida emergency medical technician-basic in good standing with the department.

(c) For Paramedic Training Programs, must be certified as a Florida paramedic in good standing with the department or be a licensed Registered Nurse in good standing and have at least three years of field provider experience with an ALS provider.

(d) Adjunct instructors must possess a minimum of an Associate’s degree from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the United States Department of Education.

(e) Adjunct instructors who do not possess an Associate’s degree and are employed by a Florida-approved EMS Training Program at time of implementation of this rule will have until July 1, 2011 to obtain their degree.

Table I EMS Instructor Course Curriculum

EMS instructor course objectives will be consistent with the National Guidelines for Educating EMS Instructors, August, 2002 edition.

Level A: Instructor Qualifications for Adjunct Faculty: Including Didactic, Laboratory, and Clinical Instructors.

 

Course	Hours of Instruction
Introduction/Course Objectives	30 minutes
Module 2: Roles and Responsibilities	2 hours
Module 5: Ethics	2.5 hour
Module 6: The Learning Environment	2 hours
Module 7: Learning Styles	3 hours
Module 8: Domains of Learning	3 hours
Module 9: Goals and Objectives	3 hours
Module 11: Presentation Skills	2 hours
Module 12: Evaluation Techniques	3 hours
Module 15: Motivation	2 hours
Module 17: Teaching Psychomotor Skills	4 hours
Module 18: Affective/Cognitive Domains	3 hours
Module 20: Remediation (Practical exercises)	3 hours
Module 21: Cultural Awareness	2 hours
Practical Teaching Presentation	5 hours
Total Class Hours	40 Hours

 

Table II EMS Instructor Course Curriculum

Level B: Instructor Qualifications for Program Coordinators and Lead Instructors

Prerequisites: Completion of Level A Coursework or qualify for an exemption listed in subsection 64J-1.0201(5), F.A.C.

 

Course	Hours of Instruction
Module 10: Lesson Plans	1 hour
Module 26: Pediatric Education	1 hour
Module 13: Facilitation Techniques	1 hour
Module 14: Communication and Feedback	2 hours
Module 16: Teaching Thinking Skills (Critical)	2 hours
Module 19: Discipline	1 hours
Module 22: Teaching Resources	1 hour
Module 3: Administrative Issues	1 hour
Module 4: Legal Issues In EMS Education	1 hour
Module 23: Research	1 hour
Creating Learning Objectives & Lesson Plans	3 hours
Total Class Hours	15 Hours

 

(5) Exemptions.

(a) Program Directors, Program Coordinators, Lead Instructors, Course Coordinators, and Adjunct faculty who have attained any of the following criteria prior to the implementation of this rule are exempt from both Levels A and B coursework:

1. Individuals with a Bachelor’s degree or higher from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the United States Department of Education with 4 years teaching experience in EMS education and 2 years experience as a Program Coordinator/Director are exempt from Levels A and B coursework.

2. Individuals with an Associate of Science degree from an institution is recognized by the United States Department of Education 8 years teaching experience in EMS education and a minimum of 5 years experience as a Program Coordinator are exempt from Levels A and B coursework.

3. Physicians licensed under Florida Statute 458 and/or 459 are exempt from Levels A and B coursework.

4. Completion of Fire Service Instructor Course Delivery and Fire Service Instructor Course Design (80 hours) or Florida certification in Fire Instructor II or III with 2 years teaching experience in EMS education are exempt from Levels A and B coursework.

5. Individuals with current certification as a Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Instructor (80 hour course) with 2 years teaching experience in EMS education are exempt from Levels A and B coursework.

(b) Program Directors, Program Coordinators, Lead Instructors, Course Coordinators, and Adjunct faculty who have attained any of the following prior to the implementation of this rule are exempt from Level A coursework:

1. Individuals with an Associate in Science Degree from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the United States Department of Education with 6 years teaching experience in EMS education are exempt from level A coursework.

2. Individuals with a Associate in Science Degree from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the United States Department of Education plus 20 contact hours of educational/instructor courses with 2 years teaching experience in EMS education are exempt from Level A coursework.

3. Individuals who have successfully completed the National Association of EMS Educator’s Instructor Course or obtained National Instructor Level I (National EMS Instructor certification) are exempt from Level A coursework. Individuals with National Instructor level II are exempt from Level A and B coursework.

(c) Subject matter experts are exempt from all certification levels provided they do not provide greater than five percent of the total hours of instruction in either the didactic, laboratory, or clinical portions of the programs contact hours.

(d) These exemptions will only remain in effect until July 1, 2013.

Rulemaking Authority 401.27, 401.2715 FS. Law Implemented 401.27, 401.2715 FS. History–New__________.

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: John C. Bixler, Paramedic, RN, BSN, Chief, Bureau of EMS, Florida Department of Health, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Tallahassee, FL 32399
NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: State Surgeon General Ana Viamonte Ros, Florida Department of Health, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Tallahassee, FL 32399
DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: April 29, 2009
DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAW: June 13, 2008, Vol. No. 34/24; December 24, 2008 Vol. No. 34/52