Credible education through accreditation
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AUGUST 2018 / IN THIS ISSUE
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- Standard V: Fair Practices
- Standard III.C. and the National Standard Curriculum
- Standard III.D. and the Resource Assessment Matrix
- Paramedic Programs Receive Initial Accreditation
- Eight Seats Left for October CAAHEP Accreditation Workshop
- CHEA Requirements Prompt Policy Change
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- ACCREDITCON Registration Opens Soon
- Corporate Annual Report is Released
- By the Numbers
- Send Us Your Photos & 40th Anniversary Messages!
- Milestones
- Upcoming Events
- Quick Links
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What You Need to Know
Standard V: Fair Practices
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CAAHEP Standard V.A.2. Fair Practices – Publications and Disclosures states: “At least the following must be made known to all applicants and students: the sponsor’s institutional and programmatic accreditation status as well as the name, mailing address, web site address, and phone number of the accrediting agencies; admissions policies and practices,
including technical standards (when used); policies on advanced placement,
transfer of credits, and credits for experiential learning; number of credits required for completion of the program; tuition/fees and other costs required to complete the program; policies and processes for withdrawal and for refunds of tuition/fees.”
Advanced Placement
Q. What is the Advanced Placement policy that is part of Standard V and mentioned above?
A. Programs need to have a clearly defined Advanced Placement policy that is specific to the Paramedic educational program and the Paramedic program. The policy must go beyond that of the sponsoring institution. Additionally, the Advanced Placement policy will include the Program's policy and procedure for transfer credits and credits for experiential learning. The Program's policy on advanced placement, transfer of credits and credits for experiential learning is a pathway, and a clearly articulated explanation to the students AND the CoAEMSP/CAAHEP about
how students are expected to successfully be assessed and subsequently complete the program as they would any student.
These students are to be tracked separately in another cohort for annual reporting purposes and they must complete all the same requirements to exit the program including the NREMT portfolio.
Technical Standards / Functional Task Analysis
Q. How do I show evidence of Technical Standards?
A. Technical Standards are the requirements a program has for students to be able to perform the tasks of a Paramedic. Such requirements usually include the ability to lift a certain amount of weight, balance, hear, see, etc. They may also include being of sound emotional health, being able to calculate math problems, and other requirements. Technical Standards need to be published somewhere so potential and current can see what is required.
Many states have their own versions of Technical Standards. One of the most comprehensive sets are in the old National Standard Paramedic Curriculum’s
“Functional Job Analysis” that can be found
here
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Standard III.C. and the National Standard Curriculum
Q. Why is it important to use the term National EMS Education Standards instead of the National Standard Curriculum?
A. The National Standard Paramedic Curriculum was replaced by the National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards in January 2009. If you have been in EMS education for a while, you may still refer to the “new” Education Standards as the National Standard Curriculum (for example, a refrigerator was often called an ice box, and a convenience store a gas station). For accreditation purposes,
the CoAEMSP prefers National EMS Education Standards when referring to the current structure of required education (unless you are referencing the Functional Job Analysis to describe your Technical Standards.)
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What You Need to Know
Standard III.C and the National Standard Curriculum
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Sometimes the National EMS Education Standards are referred to as the National Standard Paramedic Curriculum. The National Standard Paramedic Curriculum was replaced by the National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards in January 2009. Those who have been in EMS education for a while may still refer to the “new” Education Standards as the National Standard Curriculum, and chances are, others who have been in EMS education for a while will understand what is meant. For accreditation purposes, however,
the CoAEMSP prefers National EMS Education Standards when referring to the current structure of required education (unless you are referencing the Functional Job Analysis to describe your Technical Standards.) Using the accurate title helps assure clarity and avoid confusion.
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What You Need to Know
Standard III.D. and the Resource Assessment Matrix
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Two tools to used by Paramedic programs to assess whether resources supporting educational activities are adequate include the 1) Program Resource Survey--Student, and 2) the Program Resource Survey--Program Personnel. These surveys are to be completed and analyzed annually; when the summary data for any of the ten general categories is below 80%, an action plan is required.
The Personnel surveys must be completed by the program staff, Program Medical Director, and the Advisory Committee members. These surveys were revised in 2017 to convert from a five-point scale to a three-point approach: yes, no, or N/A.
The data analysis is most easily accomplished using the Resource Assessment Matrix (RAM) and Program Resource Survey (PRS) Data Collection Excel spreadsheet available
here
. This tool includes four worksheets: Instructions, PRS Students, PRS Personnel, and RAM. Data from the individual surveys is entered into the appropriate cells and automatically calculates the totals and averages for each of the categories. If the category percentage of ‘yes’ responses is less than 80%, the Program identifies the results and analysis in Column E and completes an analysis detailed action plan to address the issue in Column F.
When results are above 80%, ‘results met threshold” can be indicated in Column E, and ‘continue to monitor’ in Column F.
The questions in the two surveys are slightly different (by necessity), therefore the results for the categories can be different. As a result, a further refinement to the RAM document was recently added.
The cells in columns C, D, E, and F have been divided and require a response for both the program personnel and the student results. This revised format should make it easier to identify and enter the required information.
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Congratulations to these Paramedic Programs Achieving CAAHEP Accreditation
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Schoolcraft College, Garden City, MI
Vermont Technical College, Bennington, VT
Laredo Community College, Laredo, TX
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Only Eight Seats Left!
October CAAHEP Accreditation Workshop to be Held in Milwaukee
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October 25-26
InterContinental Milwaukee
139 East Kilbourn Ave.
Milwaukee WI 53202
“These workshops are absolutely essential for anyone
going through the accreditation process.”
Workshop attendee
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......................................................................
SAVE THE DATE!
2019 CAAHEP Accreditation Workshops
• January 3-4, Orlando
• October 10-11, TBD
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CHEA Requirements Prompt Policy Change
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In order to address the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) concerns outlined in the most recent submission of CAAHEP's mid-term report, CAAHEP's Board of Directors approved the following changes to Policy 106 D. Confidentiality. The changes to the Policy are in
RED and take effect immediately:
D. Confidentiality
CAAHEP requires that its accreditation procedures,and those of the CoAs,be sensitive to the need to maintain confidentiality in the accreditation process while also disclosing certain information to serve and protect the public interest.
In order to comply with the need for public disclosure,CAAHEP will
publish the citations of unmet Standards that appear in accreditation award letters.
However, except as stated above, CAAHEP and its CoAs will hold as confidential the following documents and the information contained therein:
- Self-Study Reports
- Site Visit Reports
- All Progress Reports
- All correspondence between CAAHEP, the CoAs, and the programs which relates to the accreditation process (including the appeals process, as applicable).
Institutions may release any of the above information, at their discretion. CAAHEP and its CoAs will not make public any of the above documents without the permission of the institution,unless the institution misrepresents the information either through public statements or release of selected sections of documents.
In the case of Probationary Accreditation, CAAHEP will release the full award letter upon request.
These confidentiality requirements shall be waived for any of the above documents when CAAHEP or its CoAs are required to turn over information by a bona fide judicial or governmental process.
If you have any questions about this policy change, please contact
Kathy Megivern (megivern@caahep.org). An updated version of the Policy Manual is posted to the
CAAHEP website.
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Registration for ACCREDITCON to Open Soon!
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May 29-June 2, 2019
Louisville, Kentucky
LOOK FOR A SPECIAL NEWSLETTER
WITH REGISTRATION INFORMATION!
ACCREDITCON will educate CoAEMSP constituents on the accreditation process, provide tools for success, offer answers to pertinent questions regarding initial and continuing accreditation, and include presentations on topics having a direct connection with the accreditation process and the CAAHEP Standards.
Speakers, registration, and sessions will be announced as information becomes available. Stay tuned!
#ACCREDITCON
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CoAEMSP Corporate Annual Report Released
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CoAEMSP Board and staff members are pleased to release the corporate annual report for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.
Read it here.
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It's our 40th Anniversary! Send Us Your Photos & Messages! Visit our History Page!
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The Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services (CoAEMSP) is pleased to be celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2018.
We invite you to send a message that can be shared with the EMS community on our website, in our monthly newsletters, or in other possible methods of communications.
In addition, if you have photos from the past 40 years that relate to the history of the CoAEMSP and accreditation, we encourage you to send them to Jennifer Anderson Warwick at
jennifer@coaemsp.org
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Kenneth Kirtland, MSN, RN, NRP, Program Director at Calhoun Community College, Decatur, Ala., earned the Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Alabama, conferred on August 4, 2018.
Justin Tilghman, EdS, MS, CEM, EMT-P, Program Director at Lenoir Community College, Kinston, NC, earned the Education Specialist degree from Columbia International University, conferred on April 27, 2018.
David Blevins, MA, NRP, P/IC, Program Director at Roane State Community College, Knoxville, Tenn., earned the Master of Arts degree from American Public University, conferred on February 15, 2018.
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CAAHEP Accreditation Workshop
October 25-26, 2018
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
CAAHEP Accreditation Workshop
January 3-4, 2019
Orlando
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ACCREDITCON
May 29-June 2, 2019
Louisville, Kentucky
CAAHEP Accreditation Workshop
October 10-11, 2019
Location TBD
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Share Your Feedback and Suggestions
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Is there something you would like us to cover in a future eUpdate?
Let us know!
Sincerely,
Jennifer S. Anderson Warwick, MA
CoAEMSP
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