Our Team

The RTAD team is comprised of a highly-trained and diverse group of individuals providing different levels of medical care and supportive services.  Our team members maintain a high level of proficiency and skill that not only is equivalent to, but exceeds EMS industry standards.

Our team members are required to maintain certifications and training competency at their level of practice, and are encouraged to expand their education through specialty certification and advanced degrees.  Additionally, our team members attend regularly scheduled training to enhance our foundational knowledge and abilities.

RTAD medical team members are required to possess, obtain and maintain the following certifications:

  • State of Missouri EMT/Paramedic License
  • AHA Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) **Paramedic Only
  • AHA Basic Life Support (BLS)
  • AHA Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) **Paramedic Only
  • NAEMT Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS)
  • NAEMT Emergency Pediatric Care (EPC)
  • NAEMT Pre-Hospital Life Support (PHTLS)
  • FEMA ICS 100, 200, 700, 800
  • Valid Driver's License

 

RTAD MEDICAL PROVIDER LEVELS

EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN (EMT)
EMTs are generally the entry level into the EMS industry.  They are considered Basic Life Support (BLS) and have successfully completed an approved course that is typically 150 hours in length.  This includes both didactic classroom instruction and field internships.  EMTs are trained in CPR and non-invasive procedures such as bleeding control, non-visualized airways such as oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways, oxygen administration of various routes, pulse oximetry, airway suctioning, the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AED), splinting, emergency childbirth, and basic medication administration (such as nitroglycerin, epinephrine, aspirin, albuterol, intranasal Narcan).  Also, EMTs can provide application of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices.

 

PARAMEDIC (EMT-P)
Paramedics represent the pinnacle of the EMS industry ladder. Paramedics are considered as Advanced Life Support (ALS) and have successfully completed an approved EMT course plus the additional Paramedic modules that consist of approximately 1,500 hours in addition to the EMT course. In addition to classroom didactic, Paramedics are required to have field internships, Emergency Room internships and in some cases Intensive Care Unit internships. Most Paramedic courses take between 1-2 years to complete. Paramedics are trained in all of the EMT skills while also adding to their skill set the ability provide advanced airway management including intubation, insertion of surgical airways, Medication Assisted Intubation (use of paralytics and sedatives to induce intubation), cardiac monitoring, 12 lead ECG acquisition and interpretation, transcutaneous cardiac pacing, manual defibrillation and cardioversion, fluid resuscitation, IO or intraocceus access (placing a needle in a bone to facilitate medication administration), and pharmacology with the ability to administer through different routes over 40 medications including narcotics, sedatives, and hallucinogenics. Additionally, Paramedics are trained to perform chest decompression which is inserting a needle into the chest cavity to reinflate a collapsed lung. Some Paramedic courses also supply the Paramedic with the knowledge to read X-rays and lab results.

 

SPECIALTY CERTIFICATIONS

NATIONAL REGISTRY (NREMT)
The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians is a U.S. certification agency covering pre-hospital medical providers.  Most states use or require the NREMT testing prior to being able to obtain state certification.  Providers wishing to obtain their NREMT certification must enroll in an approved course to their level (EMT, AEMT, Paramedic).  Upon completion providers must take a computer based randomized question exam and show proficiency in a cognitive skills test.  Upon successful completion, providers may submit their application for certification and are required to conduct pre-determined hours of relevant continuing education every 2 years in order to maintain this certification.  This certification ONLY does not allow the provider to practice as they must obtain and maintain their state certification and education requirements.

 

CRITICAL CARE PARAMEDIC (CCEMT-P, CCP-C)
The Critical Care Paramedic certification program is an educational course offered to providers typically with more than 1 year experience as a Paramedic.  Also, it is geared towards providers who perform inter-facility critical care transports in moving critically sick or injured patients from one hospital to another for advanced care and treatment.  This course includes instruction in all common aspects of critical care assessment and management including pathophysiology, pharmacology, interpretation of laboratory values, interpretation of routine diagnostic images (x-rays, CT scans), ventilator management and monitoring extensive hemodynamic monitoring devices such as Swan Ganz catheters and arterial lines.  It provides an overview of transporting patients with specialized devices such as intra aortic balloon pumps (IABP), ventricular assist devices (VAD), external pacing monitors and insight into air medical concepts.  Upon completion of this course, providers must successfully pass a randomized written exam prior to achieving their certification.

 

FLIGHT PARAMEDIC (FP-C)
This certification is for Paramedics who have advanced knowledge of critical care medicine.  There is no associated course for this certification although there are review courses and study guides available for self study learning.  The FP-C certification is considered to be the most difficult certification exam often requiring previous experience in the air medical and critical care transport environment prior to taking the exam.  The exam administered by the Board for Critical Care Transport Paramedic Certification (BCCTPC) is a two-and-a-half-hour exam consisting of 125 multiple-choice questions.

 

COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC (CP-C)
Community Paramedicine is an emerging healthcare delivery model that increases access to basic services by utilizing specially trained emergency medical service (EMS) providers in an expanded role.  Community Paramedics care for patients at home or in other non-urgent settings outside of a hospital under the supervision of a physician or advanced practice provider.  Community Paramedics can expand the reach of primary care and public health services by using EMS personnel to perform patient assessments.

 

TACTICAL PARAMEDIC (TP-C)
A course conducted over a five day period with more than 54 hours of instruction that is constantly revised and updated to deliver the latest tactical and medical practices for military and civilian personnel.  These standards and latest medical standards have been established by the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and by the American College of Surgeons as outlined in Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) and TECC to provide the Paramedic with the skills necessary to support a tactical law enforcement team.  This course covers advanced field medicine including chest decompression, suturing, cricothyrotomy and advanced bleeding control procedures.  Performance of the above skills are perfected in the austere environment including “officer down” scenarios.