Twelve Graduate from EMT-Paramedic Training at VGCC
Vance-Granville Community College honored twelve people who completed the college’s year-long Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic program on June 20. Graduates included Donald Burleson, Jason Reavis and Joseph Waverly, all of Vance County; Rita Cross, Bryant Hixon and Jessie Poole, all of Granville County; Geoffrey Brown and Charlene Macialek, both of Franklin County; and Steven Barney, Wesley Norwood, Christopher Pegram and Shenan Thompson, all of Warren County. Vivian Loyd, RN was the instructor for the group.EMT-P instruction includes 696 hours of didactic (classroom) training and 500 hours of clinical education, or field internship. To be eligible to take the EMT-P course, students had to first complete a 188-hour EMT-Basic and a 304-hour EMT-Intermediate course and pass state exams for both. An EMT-Paramedic has enhanced skills beyond the Intermediate level, including being able to administer additional interventions and medications. The EMT-P delivers the highest level of pre-hospital medical care in North Carolina.In order to successfully complete the EMT-P course, students had to pass several different exams, including a “scope of practice” exam. This scenario-based evaluation tested the hands-on and critical thinking skills of students, as they delivered the appropriate treatment to multiple trauma patients and dealt with pediatric, environmental, and mental-illness situations.Each student also had to complete an 80-hour Anatomy and Physiology course.Now that students have completed the EMT-P course, they must take the 150-question North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services credentialing exam to become state-certified.VGCC offers Emergency Medical Services training from the basic to the Paramedic level, in addition to continuing education. EMT-Paramedic and other Public Safety courses are scheduled upon request and are often taught at the requesting agency’s facility. For more information on how to arrange a class, call EMS coordinator Randy Owen at (252) 492-2061, extension 3448.Above: Front, from left: Charlene Macialek, Bryant Hixon, Steven Barney, Shenan Thompson, Jessie Poole, Rita Cross and Geoffrey Brown; back, from left: coordinator Randy Owen, Christopher Pegram, Joseph Waverly, Donald Burleson, Wesley Norwood, Jason Reavis and instructor Vivian Loyd. (VGCC Photo)
