Ironic timing DCFEMS article Washington Times

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While I am not suggesting that multiple choice tests are an effective
means of evaluating knowledge, this is surprising.

"On the written tests, only THREE paramedics scored 70 percent or above;
a passing grade for an entry-level paramedic on the national registry
exam is 75."

"The written tests - equivalent to the National  Registry of Emergency 
Medical Technicians test for paramedics - were  performed last year at
the Maryland> Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI) and  taken by about 175
of the city's 250 advanced life-support providers." 

3/175 scored over 70.

70 isn't even passing. 75 is passing.

Is the test worded that badly?

Are the paramedics that bad?

Is it a combination of the two?

175 of the 250 active medics took the test, not new graduates. Part of
the problem is that National Registry almost requires that the students
be trained for their particular memorization test. These medics, not
being in the artificial "no paramedic left behind" "memorize these
parrot phrases for the test" setting, may be unprepared for a test that
is not relevant to patient care.

However, scoring that poorly on any test, even remotely related to EMS,
is not a good sign.

Tim Noonan.


On Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:19 -0400, LNMolino at aol.com wrote:
> Tuesday, June 9, 2009 
> 
> 
> Some D.C. paramedics to be  retrained
> 
> About a dozen D.C. paramedics were ordered into retraining and  others
> have
> been required to take course work, but D.C. Fire Chief Dennis L.  Rubin
> told
> a city council committee that a series of poor performances  in
> medical-knowledge tests did not require punishment or a major shake-up 
> in
> the department. 
> 
> D.C. Council member Phil Mendelson, however,  called the results
> "completely
> disturbing." 
> 
> The Washington Times  reported in April that dozens of the District's
> paramedics either failed to  meet a minimum national standard on written
> exams that tested their medical  knowledge or had mishandled basic 
> lifesaving
> procedures during videotaped  assessments. 
> 
> During a hearing Monday at City Hall, Mr. Mendelson,  chairman of the
> D.C.
> Council's Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary,  took note of The
> Times' report and questioned Chief Rubin closely about the  District's
> emergency medical services and the test results. 
> 
> "Why  shouldn't people be alarmed?" Mr. Mendelson asked. 
> 
> Chief Rubin stressed  that the exams were evaluations that were meant to
> guide the department's  training program and to improve medical
> protocols. 
> 
> He added that the  department's medical director, Dr. James J. Augustine,
> recognized that the  tests showed a "generalized deficiency" in two
> areas,
> including one related  to paramedics' reading of the electrical activity
> of
> the heart. But he said  the workers were not in need of discipline. 
> 
> "We feel like we have turned  the corner, but we'll continue to provide
> education to bring them up to  national standards, and we'll do it in a
> way
> that's not punitive," Chief  Rubin said. 
> 
> Instead, he said, the paramedics were required to take a  two-day,
> 16-hour
> course related to the heart activity issue, while 12 to 15  workers who 
> still
> performed poorly were forced to undergo remedial training.  
> 
> "I don't see a need to provide any kind of discipline," Chief Rubin 
> said.
> "But we've made some significant improvements, and with a little bit of  
> time
> I think you're going to see a lot more." 
> 
> After the hearing, Mr.  Mendelson called the test results "completely
> disturbing" in an interview  with The Times, but he likened the exercise
> to
> rounds in a hospital where  there can be "a discussion of shortcomings to
> improve skills."  
> 
> "You've got to be able to have a discussion of shortcomings to  improve
> skills," said Mr. Mendelson, an at-large Democrat. "So it can't be  a
> punitive process." 
> 
> The written tests - equivalent to the National  Registry of Emergency 
> Medical
> Technicians test for paramedics - were  performed last year at the
> Maryland
> Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI) and  taken by about 175 of the city's
> 250
> advanced life-support providers. The  same 175 paramedics were videotaped
> during a practical skills assessment in  which they were required to deal
> with a cardiac arrest on a high-tech  mannequin. 
> 
> The Times obtained about 90 of the videotaped assessments and  95 of the
> written test scores. On the written tests, only THREE paramedics  scored
> 70
> percent or above; a passing grade for an entry-level paramedic on  the
> national registry exam is 75. 
> 
> More than 75 of the 10-minute  videos were submitted by The Times to 
> multiple
> local and nationally  recognized paramedic instructors and
> quality-assurance
> specialists, who said  they observed egregious health care violations. 
> 
> Chief Rubin said 75  employees still must be tested. MFRI then will
> provide
> officials with a  comprehensive analysis of the results. 
> 
> Louis N.  Molino, Sr., CET
> FF/NREMT-B/FSI/EMSI
> Freelance  Consultant/Trainer/Author/Journalist/Fire Protection 
> Consultant
> 
> LNMolino at aol.com
> 
> 979-412-0890 (Cell  Phone)
> 979-690-7559 (IFW/FSS Office)
> 979-690-7562 (IFWF/SS Fax)
> 
> "A  Texan with a Jersey Attitude"
> 
> "Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds  discuss events; Small minds 
> discuss people" Eleanor Roosevelt - US diplomat  & reformer (1884 - 1962)
> 
> The comments contained in this E-mail are  the opinions of the author and 
> the author alone. I in no way ever intend to  speak for any person or 
> organization that I am in any way whatsoever involved or  associated with
> unless I 
> specifically state that I am doing so. Further this  E-mail is intended
> only 
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