EMT-B Wiki Index¶
Last updated: 2026-05-06 San Juan College EMT-B Program — New Mexico
This wiki covers the core knowledge and skills for the EMT-Basic certification, aligned with NREMT psychomotor and cognitive exam content and NM EMS Bureau protocols (September 2022).
How to Use This Wiki¶
This wiki is designed as a curriculum, not a reference manual. Start at the top and work through each section in order. Each section builds on the one before it.
Recommended sequence:
- Foundations — EMS system, safety, legal authority to act
- Core Concepts — frameworks and tools you'll use on every call
- Airway & Breathing — opening, maintaining, and supporting the airway
- Patient Assessment — the five-step sequence that drives every intervention
- Pharmacology — six drugs plus assisted medications: indication, contraindication, dose, route
Do Drill 01 here
Before continuing to Medical Emergencies, work through Drill 01 — ACS, Farmington. It applies Pharmacology and Assessment together in a scenario context. Early application catches gaps before they compound across the rest of the curriculum. Drills 02–05 are best saved until after Special Populations.
- Medical Emergencies — disease-specific protocols; assessment sequence applies to each
- Trauma — injury-specific protocols; kinematics from Core Concepts drives these
- Special Populations — OB and neonatal; unique physiology and protocols
- NREMT Skills — psychomotor skill stations; checklist format, know the critical failures
- Operations — DNR, refusal, legal situations you will encounter on calls
- Practice Drills — scenario-based drills set in San Juan County; test yourself after the curriculum
If you are using this for a quick reference during study, the search function and the Quick Reference tables below work well. If you are learning from scratch, follow the sequence above.
Assessments¶
The five-step patient assessment sequence is the backbone of every patient contact. Every intervention connects back to a finding in this sequence.
| Article | Description |
|---|---|
| scene-size-up | BSI/PPE, scene safety, MOI vs NOI, number of patients, resource request, c-spine consideration |
| primary-assessment | General impression, AVPU, airway, breathing, circulation, transport decision |
| history-taking | SAMPLE history and OPQRST for every patient |
| secondary-assessment | Rapid trauma (DCAP-BTLS head-to-toe) vs focused physical exam; full vital signs |
| reassessment | Repeat primary, vital sign trending (5 min critical / 15 min stable), intervention checks |
Pharmacology¶
EMT-B scope medications. Every drug requires the 6 Rights: right patient, drug, dose, route, time, documentation. Every drug requires standing order or online medical direction.
| Article | Drug | Key Indication |
|---|---|---|
| oxygen | Oxygen | Hypoxia, respiratory distress, chest pain, shock, trauma |
| oral-glucose | Oral glucose (Glutose, Insta-Glucose) | Altered mental status in known diabetic who can swallow |
| aspirin | Aspirin (ASA) | Suspected ACS / cardiac chest pain |
| epinephrine-auto-injector | Epinephrine (EpiPen) | Anaphylaxis with systemic involvement |
| activated-charcoal | Activated charcoal | Certain ingested poisons within 1 hour (check NM protocol) |
| naloxone | Naloxone (Narcan) | Opioid overdose with respiratory depression |
| nitroglycerin | Nitroglycerin (NTG) | Suspected ACS chest pain — on-line medical control required |
Procedures¶
NREMT psychomotor skill stations. Each article includes NREMT-tested checklist steps and NM protocol context.
| Article | Skill | Core Concept |
|---|---|---|
| bvm-ventilation | BVM Ventilation | Absent/inadequate breathing; two-rescuer technique; O2 at 15 LPM |
| oxygen-administration | Oxygen Administration | NC (1–6 LPM) vs NRB (10–15 LPM); pre-inflate reservoir bag |
| cardiac-arrest-aed | Cardiac Arrest / AED | 100–120 CPR, 30:2 ratio, immediate CPR post-shock, 2-min cycles |
| spinal-immobilization-supine | Spinal Immobilization (Supine) | Manual stabilization, PMS baseline, C-collar, body before head on board |
| spinal-immobilization-seated | Spinal Immobilization (Seated/KED) | KED application, torso before head straps, padding the void |
| bleeding-control-shock | Bleeding Control / Shock | Direct pressure, tourniquet, O2, position, warmth, priority transport |
| joint-immobilization | Joint Immobilization (Splinting) | Immobilize bone above and below injured joint; PMS before and after |
| long-bone-immobilization | Long Bone Immobilization (Splinting) | Immobilize joint above and below fracture; traction splint for femur |
Medical Emergencies¶
| Article | Key Topic |
|---|---|
| acs-chest-pain | Aspirin 324 mg, nitroglycerin criteria (SBP >100, HR 60–140), STEMI advance notification |
| anaphylaxis | Epinephrine 0.3 mg IM; systemic vs. localized; biphasic reaction risk |
| seizure | Airway protection, lateral positioning, glucometry, status epilepticus = ALS |
| stroke | Cincinnati/FAST, "last known well", Stroke Center transport; no ASA; no HTN treatment |
| diabetic-emergencies | Oral glucose if alert + can swallow; glucometry; IV dextrose = ALS scope |
| respiratory-distress | Intervention ladder: position → O2 → BVM; silent chest = impending arrest |
| asthma-copd | Albuterol 5 mg nebulized; ipratropium adjunct; do not delay transport |
| altered-loc | Glucometry first; differential: hypoglycemia, OD, stroke, trauma, cardiac |
| behavioral-psychiatric | Scene safety, de-escalation, one provider; chemical restraint = ALS |
| overdose-poisoning | Naloxone for opioid OD; scene safety; Poison Control 800-222-1222 |
| abdominal-pain | NPO, position of comfort, transport; AAA + hypotension = priority |
| shock | Recognize early (AMS + tachy + poor perfusion); O2, position, IV, transport |
| syncope | All syncope requires hospital; check BGL, cardiac monitor, rule out hemorrhage |
| environmental-emergencies | Heat stroke: mist + fan; Hypothermia: 60-sec pulse, gentle; Drowning: ABC |
| nausea-vomiting | Symptoms requiring cause identification; lateral position; anti-emetics = ALS |
Trauma¶
| Article | Key Topic |
|---|---|
| burns | Rule of Nines, palm = 1% TBSA, airway burns, Parkland formula, burn center |
| chest-trauma | Tension pneumo; 3-sided occlusive dressing; flail chest BVM splinting |
| head-injury-tbi | Prevent hypoxia/hypotension; GCS; no hyperventilation except herniation signs |
| spinal-injury | Selective immobilization; cervical collar criteria; not every MOI requires board |
| electrical-injury | Scene safety first; hidden internal damage; cardiac monitoring; burn center |
| venomous-bites | No tourniquet/cut-suck/ice; immobilize at heart level; rapid transport |
| sexual-assault | Evidence preservation; no pelvic exam; strangulation = always transport |
| abdominal-pelvic-trauma | Internal hemorrhage invisible on exam; mechanism is the diagnosis; pelvic binder reduces pelvic volume; you cannot stop internal bleeding in the field |
| extremity-trauma | Splint to prevent movement, hemorrhage, and neurovascular injury; compartment syndrome 6 Ps; load-and-go overrides splinting in multisystem trauma |
Special Populations¶
| Article | Key Topic |
|---|---|
| obstetric-childbirth | Normal delivery, complications (breech, prolapsed cord, pre-eclampsia), APGAR |
| neonatal-resuscitation | Warm/dry/stimulate; BVM 40–60/min; CPR 3:1 for HR <60; target SpO2 85–95% at 10 min |
| pediatric | PAT/TICLS doorway assessment; vital signs by age; Croup vs Epiglottitis; FBAO by age |
| geriatric | Atypical presentations; polypharmacy; UTI = #1 delirium cause; beta-blocker trap |
| special-challenges | ASD, Down syndrome, CP, trach emergencies (DOPE), LVAD, spina bifida/latex |
Operations / Universal Care¶
| Article | Key Topic |
|---|---|
| dnr-death-determination | Valid DNR criteria; signs of irreversible death; comfort care always allowed |
| refusal-of-care | Competent adult refusal; pediatric refusal; involuntary transport (NM statute) |
Quick Reference: Assessment Finding → Intervention¶
| Finding | Intervention |
|---|---|
| Absent/inadequate breathing | bvm-ventilation |
| SpO2 <94% or respiratory distress | oxygen-administration (NRB at 10–15 LPM) |
| No pulse + not breathing | cardiac-arrest-aed |
| Major external bleeding | bleeding-control-shock (direct pressure or tourniquet) |
| Altered LOC + known diabetic + can swallow | oral-glucose |
| Chest pain, possible ACS | aspirin + oxygen-administration |
| Anaphylaxis (systemic signs) | epinephrine-auto-injector + oxygen-administration |
| High MOI, supine patient | spinal-immobilization-supine |
| High MOI, seated patient (MVC) | spinal-immobilization-seated |
| Extremity fracture / deformity | joint-immobilization or long-bone-immobilization |
| Suspected stroke | stroke — Cincinnati/FAST; Stroke Center transport |
| Heat stroke (AMS + high temp) | environmental-emergencies — mist + fan; ALS |
| Narcotic overdose suspected | overdose-poisoning — naloxone |
| Venomous snakebite | venomous-bites — no tourniquet; immobilize; transport |
| Patient refusing care | refusal-of-care — capacity assessment; documentation |
| DNR present | dnr-death-determination — verify validity; comfort care |
Source Files¶
| Raw File | Content |
|---|---|
raw/protocols/nm-sop-guidelines-treatment-2022.pdf |
NM EMS Treatment Guidelines (September 2022) |
raw/supplemental/patient-assessment-sequence.md |
Full 5-step assessment sequence |
raw/supplemental/emt-b-pharmacology.md |
EMT-B scope medications |
raw/nremt/psychomotor-skills.md |
NREMT psychomotor skill station checklists |