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IDHS > About IDHS > Certification > Emergency Medical Services > EMS Transition Information EMS Transition Information

EMS Course Information

The following documents are provided to give you the minimum requirements for each type of EMS Course. These courses are:

  • EMR
  • EMT
  • AEMT (ALS Training Institutions)
  • Basic Advanced to AEMT Bridge Course (ALS Training Institutions)
  • EMT-I to Paramedic Bridge Course (CoAEMSP Accredited Training Institutions)

EMS Course Requirements

Indiana EMS Commission Levels of EMS Personnel Certification Quick Reference

The following documents are the minimum course times and standards for each EMS course. All courses must comply with the minimum standards for course approval. Pre-requisite and co-requisite material can be applied towards the section time standards, but you must indicate that in your syllabi. Any questions regarding course creation can be sent to efiato@dhs.in.gov.

The following guide was developed by the Indiana Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to assist in the creation of AEMT and AEMT Bridge courses. These documents were approved by the EMS Commission are available for your reference.

The EMS Commission has approved the Advanced EMT courses and directs that it follow the National Education Standard (http://www.ems.gov/pdf/811077d.pdf). Bridge courses can now be applied for through IDHS EMS Certifications without a waiver request. Bridge courses must meet the minimum standards as outlined above, and all Training Institutions must be able to provide evidence of student skills competency upon an audit request.

Basic Advances and Intermediates

As of July 1, 2014, the Basic-Advanced EMT and Intermediate EMT will no longer be recognized in the State of Indiana. You can view the emergency rule by clicking this link: http://www.in.gov/legislative/iac/20120711-IR-836120393ERA.xml.pdf

No new courses for EMT Basic-Advanced or Intermediates will be approved.

All Basic-Advanced and Intermediates will have the opportunity to enroll in a Bridge course to achieve the next highest level of certification.

  • This must be successfully completed, including testing, by June 30, 2014
  • If Basic-Advanced and Intermediate responders do not successfully complete a bridge course and testing by June 30, 2014, those responders will become certified at the next lowest level. This means, a Basic-Advanced who has not successfully completed a bridge course and testing will become an EMT Basic and Intermediate who has not successfully completed a bridge course and testing will become an Advanced EMT.
  • The Basic-Advanced and Intermediate Certifications will no longer be recognized as valid certifications and operating levels after June 30, 2014.

All Basic-Advanced and Intermediate EMTs will be able to recertify at their current levels between June 30, 2012 and June 30, 2014.

  • Your expiration date will show two years from the date of renewal; however, your certification level will change on June 30, 2014 regardless of your expiration date.
  • Your renewal date will stay the same unless you bridge up to the next level, in which case your renewal date will change based upon when you successfully completed all course requirements and testing.

Please contact Elizabeth Fiato with any questions or comments.

The EMS Field Triage/Trauma Rule

The Field Triage/Trauma rule was signed by Governor Mitch Daniels on July 10, 2012, and became effective on August 8, 2012. The link to the new rule is: http://www.in.gov/legislative/iac/20120808-IR-836100628FRA.xml.pdf.

IDHS and the CDC have developed a self-study course that will describe both the Indiana rule and the guidelines that will enable responders to determine trauma center criteria for patients. You can access this course by clicking here. We recommend that you review this information and pass on this resource to your employees, staff, and colleagues.

The following template has been created to assist your jurisdiction in integrating the Field Triage/Trauma rule into your protocols. Medical Directors should establish further guidelines and recommendations within this document that are consistent with the Trauma Rule. It is important to instruct field responders on how to determine transport times and to help establish what types of circumstances a patient’s life might be in danger by not going to a closer medical facility. These guidelines should be pertinent to your areas of operation and take into consideration the terrain and make-up of your geographic locations as well as any other conditions affecting transportation. Responders should also be reminded that if they are ever in doubt of where to transport a patient, they should utilize on-line medical control to help make that determination.

Indiana Field Triage and Transportation Protocol Template

Paramedic Licensure

On July 10, 2012, our IT department “retired” all active Paramedic “Certificates” and issued “Paramedic Licenses”. Our database now reflects paramedic license rather than certificate. We have one last component to making this change be reflected in our software which is to update the PSID “Lookup” system. This should be completed by the end of next week.

IDHS will not be mailing new license documents. If you wish to download and print your new license, you may go to the DHS portal, https://acadisportal.in.gov/, login and view certificates. At that point, you will have the option to print your license. If you do not have a portal account, you may sign up for the portal by clicking on the link above.

We have received several questions regarding the change from certification to licenses and how it affects paramedics. For the most part, nothing is different. Following are things that do not change:

  • You still have to report in service, just like before.
  • There are no fees associated with the license at this time.
  • Your expiration date for your license has not changed.
  • Liability is no different under licensure than it was under certification.

The biggest effect of this change is that hospitals and other healthcare providers outside the EMS field of operations may be able to utilize paramedics in a more expanded capacity.

If you view your record through the portal, and you have not been updated to a license, please call our offices at 1-800-666-7784.

Licensure FAQ

1. Do I have to pay a fee for my license?

Answer: No. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security is currently not charging fees for certifications or licenses unless the license renewal is late.  The late renewal fee is still in effect.

2. Do I need to get my own liability insurance?

Answer: The liability issues are the same for licensure as they are for certification. Obtaining individual liability insurance is a personal choice.

3. Does my expiration date change?

Answer: No. All licenses are scheduled to expire at the same time as your previous certification.

4.  Do I still have to obtain in service education?

Answer: Yes. The requirements for continuing education have not changed with licensure.

5.  Do I still have to maintain my affiliation with a sponsoring hospital and ALS Provider to maintain licensure?

Answer: Yes. Licensure does not eliminate the requirement to have an affiliation with a paramedic provider organization or ALS sponsoring hospital to maintain an active license. Individuals that do not have an ALS affiliation may request an “Inactive licensure” which requires all continuing education to be maintained except the ALS affiliation and audit/reviews.

6. Does this open new doors for us and can we obtain new training?

Answer: The change to licensure does nothing in terms of Field Operations for paramedics. However, hospitals and other healthcare providers may utilize paramedics in more expanded roles under the new licensure program.

7. A provider asked “Is there anything that we need to now do differently?”

Answer: No. The change to licensure it really a title change for paramedics operating in the field with their affiliated providers. You may view the emergency rules adopted by the Commission on June 26th on our WEB site http://www.in.gov/dhs/3525.htm .

8. Will people be able to go to the online renewal site and print a copy that states “license”?

Answer: Yes. Effective 7/11/2012, paramedics will be able to go to their portal account, https://acadisportal.in.gov/AcadisViewer/Login.aspx and view and print their licenses. In addition, the PSID Lookup WEB page will also show the licensure status as well.

9. Will the Indiana Paramedic Patch be changing to reflect Licensure?

Answer: Yes, although the time frame has not been determined.

10. The new Paramedic License states “EMS-Paramedic” rather than “EMT-Paramedic”. Is this correct?

Answer: Yes. Along with the change to licensure, we also incorporated the change required by the new titles adopted by the Commission and implemented in Emergency Rules that took effect in July as well. The EMT-Paramedic is no longer an appropriate title. All certifications and licenses will be:

EMS – Emergency Medical Responder                                    Replaces EMS – First Responder
EMS – Emergency Medical Technician                                     Replaces EMT-Basic
EMS – Advanced Emergency Medical Technician                   New Certification
EMS – Paramedic                                                                         Replaces Paramedic