Roane State Community College

Overview

Paramedic is part of Emergency Medical Services.

This program is designed to provide the student with knowledge and skills of advanced emergency medical care and transportation for critical and noncritical patients. Student learning will focus on expanding the level of understanding of human anatomy and physiology, disease process, initial assessment and patient stabilization, proper use of equipment such as ECG monitor/defibrillators, and advanced airway management.

The Paramedic certificate program is a three semester program. Applicants to the Paramedic program will be selected in a cohort of 24 students. Students admitted to the program will complete an academic schedule of lecture, lab, and external learning experience (clinical). Cohort members will be in the classroom 16 hours per week for lecture and lab instruction and 8 hours per week for their external learning experience. During the external learning experience (clinical), Paramedic students will be supervised by nursing and paramedic preceptors with various hospitals, clinics, and EMS agencies across the East Tennessee region.

This program is designed to meet all State and National requirements to prepare for the Paramedic exam given by the National Registry of Emergency Medication Technicians (NREMT).

Minimum Expectations: To prepare Paramedics who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession. 

Class Location

The Paramedic program is offered at the Knox County Center for Health Sciences.

Salary and Job Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, employment of paramedics is expected to grow 23 percent between 2012 and 2022much faster than the average for all occupations. As the population continues to age, there will be an increasing demand for paramedics.

According to the most recent information provided by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual mean wage for EMTs and paramedics in Tennessee is $32,970.

Work Setting / Functional Job Analysis

Paramedics are confident leaders responsible for administering drugs safely and providing advanced medical care in dynamic environments. They must possess excellent judgment, quick decision-making skills, and the ability to work independently. Along with managing diverse patient needs, Paramedics must stay updated on medications and contraindications, obtain accurate drug histories, and excel in advanced life support techniques.

Physical fitness is crucial for handling patient transport and navigating various terrains. Effective communication, both oral and written, is essential for relaying critical patient information promptly and accurately.

Being a Paramedic requires a blend of advanced medical knowledge, technical skills, physical stamina, emotional stability, and effective communication abilities to deliver optimal pre-hospital care and save lives in emergency situations.

Click Here to read more.

Accreditation/Approval

The Tennessee Department of Health, Division of Health Licensure and Regulation, Office of Emergency Medical Services provides program oversight. The program is approved by the Tennessee Board of Regents and is subject to the standard program evaluation required for performance funding.

The Roane State Community College Paramedic program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP). 

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
727-210-2350, 
www.caahep.org

To contact CoAEMSP: 8301 Lakeview Parkway
214-703-8445
www.coaemsp.org

Credentialing Requirements

Graduates of the Paramedic program are eligible to take the certification examination administered by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
Rocco V. Morando Building
6610 Busch Blvd
P.O. Box 29233
Columbus, Ohio 43229
Phone - (614) 888-4484 
Fax - (614) 888-8920

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Paramedic Program

• Paramedic Admissions Packet

Program Costs

Roane State Tuition & Fees

All tuition and fees are subject to change by the Tennessee Board of Regents.
To calculate Tuition and fees, use the Roane State Tuition & Fees Link above. 
The Paramedic Program is three-semesters for a total of 43 credit hours. To calculate tuition, please use the following semester breakdown:

Semester 1 – 15 Credit Hours
Semester 2 – 16 Credit Hours
Semester 3 – 12 Credit Hours

* A Specialized Allied Health Science Fee of $25 per credit hour will be applied to all Allied Health Science courses. See Tuition and Fees link above. Liability insurance fee of $42.50 is added to all student accounts to cover mandatory insurance requirements. 

Books, Supplies and Additional Program Expenses

• Books $800 (approximately - visit the bookstore for book titles and exact prices)Clinical Uniform (boots) $50 (approximately)

• Clinical Uniform (pants) $50 (approximately)

• Clinical Uniform (shirt) $35 (approximately)

• Clinical Uniform (scrubs) $35 (approximately)

• Platinum Clinical Scheduling and Documentation Software & EMS Testing Platform $189.00

• Background Checks

  • Truescreen Background Check (required by clinical sites) $45

  • Truescreen Drug Test (required by clinical sites) $31

  • IdentoGO Background Check (required by the State of Tennessee for state licensure) $35.15

• PHTLS Certification $25

• State of Tennessee Licensure Fee $175

• National Registry Testing Fee $160

Total additional cost $1620.15 (approximately)

Faculty & Staff

• EMS Faculty & Staff

Accreditation and Program Outcomes

The mission of the Emergency Medical Service section of Roane State Community College is to provide the highest quality pre-hospital emergency care education coupled with hands-on field internship experience in an effort to create a better patient care experience when the student transitions into the workforce. 
The expected levels of achievement for program outcomes relating to graduation rate, licensure pass rate and job placement are as follows:

1. Licensure exam first-time pass rate must be no more that 10% below the national mean (i.e. if the national mean is 71%, a program mean must be at 61% or higher during the calendar year).
2. Graduation rate will be at least 70% of the students entering the paramedic program fall semester will complete the program within the three semester program length (100% of program length).
3. Job placement rate is at least 90% of those graduates who respond to the survey and are seeking employment will be employed within a year of graduation.

NREMT Paramedic Licensure First-Time Pass Rate*

Year	RSCC Pass Rate	National Mean
2019	96%	71%
2020	80%	70%
2021	81%	70%
2022	64%	71%
2023	91%	71%

Program Completion Rate*

Admission Year	Graduation Rate
2019	81%
2020	67%
2021	70%
2022	86%
2023	72%

Job Placement Rate

Year	Placement Rate
2019	100%
2020	100%
2021	100%
2022	100%
2023	100%

*Rates rounded to nearest whole number