NASEMSO Resolution 2010-04: National Certification and Program Accreditation
Whereas, the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) recognizes that National EMS Certification and National EMS Education Program Accreditation is vital for the EMS profession; and
Whereas, National EMS Certification and National EMS Education Program Accreditation are identified by The EMS Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach ("Education Agenda") as components of the system for preparing qualified EMS personnel; and
Whereas, the Education Agenda calls for a single National EMS Certification agency and a single National EMS Education Program Accreditation agency, and calls for all states to adopt National EMS Certification and National EMS Education Program Accreditation; and
Whereas, NASEMSO recognizes that EMS is one of the few licensed allied health care professions that does not currently require graduation from a nationally accredited educational program; and
Whereas, evidence shows that graduates from accredited programs perform better on the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) paramedic examinations; and
Whereas, NASEMSO recently supported a national knowledge, attitudes, and barriers (KAB) survey to evaluate the potential impact of EMS education program accreditation, and most paramedic program directors participating in the 2009 KAB survey support program accreditation; and
Whereas, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) issues the national accreditation to paramedic education programs and CAAHEP's Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP), through their many outreach efforts, has made significant progress in assisting paramedic education programs to achieve accreditation; and
Whereas, the NREMT issues National EMS Certification; and
Whereas, the NREMT has established a target date of 2013 by which paramedics applying for National EMS Certification must have graduated from a nationally accredited education program.
Now, therefore be it resolved that NASEMSO supports January 1, 2013 as the beginning date for the NREMT to require graduation from a nationally accredited paramedic education program as a requirement for personnel to gain national EMS certification.