Re: Re: new NR skills sheets

[Guest guest]

At the time the NR process was being discussed, the state had a contract with a

university to provide the state exams for all levels. Faculty and Medical

Directors of the university were involved in the process and would deliver the

exams to TDH on a regular basis - every 6 to 9 months. There was a problem with

the answers to an ECA exam that led to a series of events that resulted in the

state adopting the NR exam process. More later but now I have to get to my

Paramedic class.

Eddie

________________________________

To: texasems-l

Sent: Wed, July 6, 2011 12:22:44 AM

Subject: Re: Re: new NR skills sheets

 

With all respect, there was a testing structure. The exams were developed by an

ad hoc committee of which I was a member for a number of years. The questions

were piloted and analyzed. Mr. Jarvis, now Dr. Jarvis, MD, was

in charge of the program, and there were many active EMS educators involved in

item writing. They were not amateurs. They were not ignorant of testing

criteria. There were many career EMS educators involved in the process. The same

process that the NREMT uses was employed in question writing, and it was just as

effective if not more so. The process broke down when there was insufficient

funding for the program to improve and expand. Some were afraid of lawsuits.

They argued that NREMT had the expertise to defend where the State of Texas did

not. They were dazzled by NREMT's assertions that its exams were fully validated

and that they could prevail in any challenge.

This was specious thinking since Texas is defended by the Attorney General, and

the resources of Texas are at least equal to those of NREMT. Put simply, TDH

just wanted to get rid of testing at a time when all agencies were downsizing.

When you compare SATs and a state exam, it's comparing apples and oranges.

According to your reasoning, Pat, no instructor's exams in any program, any high

school, any college, or any university, are valid since they are not given to a

large number of subjects nationally. If it were true, most of the exams given in

EMT/Paramedic courses in Texas are invalid. Even the " canned " test banks that

come with some of the texts can't meet your standards.

You contradict yourself when you say first that Texas was not willing to pour in

the funds or resources to accomplish the {development of a validated exam} but

then you say that developing a Texas based exam was NOT made due to losing

budget funds. You say that it was due to lack of willingness to increase them.

That's true, but the lack of willingness was on the part of the legislature, not

what was then TDH. TDH responded to the budget cuts in a way that was expedient

but not good.

I said that NREMT was chosen because of a lack of funding for a state-run exam

program, and you have just agreed with me.

I further said that the choice of NREMT was done outside the normal contracting

process, and I stand by that until proved wrong by documents and facts. I do not

know of any RFP that was promulgated by TDH for testing. If there is a formal

contract with NREMT, I have not been able to discover it. The choice of NREMT

was done in " panic mode " and outside the normal processes. I challenge you to

refute this with facts and documents. I challenge you to provide information

that shows that any other vendor than NREMT was given an opportunity to bid on

the exam process.

I may soon file an open records request for all documents and correspondence

relative to this process, and we'll see what turns up. If there is a valid

contract with NREMT, entered into through the legal processes prescribed by

state law, then I call upon the appropriate people at DSHS to make it public. If

there is not, then I ask, why not?

This is not personal. This is debate.

Gene Gandy, JD, LP, NREMT-P

Tucson, AZ

But still a Texan at heart.

Re: new NR skills sheets

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > >>> That's fine, but how does that get out to the thousands of NREMT

>constituents (certificate holders) and educators who were not in the loop? Are

>the NR reps required to disseminate this to everybody? <<<

> > >

> > > Probably not any more required than the AHA is required to meet with EMS

>instructors and students ... or the Traumatic Brain Foundation ... or the PHTLS

>folks (NAEMT) ... or ...

> > >

> > > Perhaps the responsibility for preparing students for the testing phases

>lies with their instructors. Maybe instructors should be more proactive about

>updating their program before each class starts. At a minimum, the instuctor

>could have the student download the skill sheets directly from the NREMT

website

>before the skills lab. In my opinion, the fact that individual instructors are

>unaware of changes in content and testing standards says more about the

>instructor than about the NREMT.

> > >

> > > When commented about NREMT accountability, I interpreted his remarks

>as an admission that, if he had a question about testing standards or

>procedures, he would just pick up the phone and call them. I admire instructors

>who work to keep themselves (and their students) current.

> > >

> > > Perhaps the NREMT could save themselves from a barraige of phone calls by

>communicating more clearly. But, we could make the same argument about any

>organization, instructor, or individual.

> > >

> > > Kenny Navarro

> > > Dallas

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

You are right, Eddie.

GG

Re: new NR skills sheets

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > >>> That's fine, but how does that get out to the thousands of NREMT

>constituents (certificate holders) and educators who were not in the loop? Are

>the NR reps required to disseminate this to everybody? <<<

> > >

> > > Probably not any more required than the AHA is required to meet with EMS

>instructors and students ... or the Traumatic Brain Foundation ... or the PHTLS

>folks (NAEMT) ... or ...

> > >

> > > Perhaps the responsibility for preparing students for the testing phases

>lies with their instructors. Maybe instructors should be more proactive about

>updating their program before each class starts. At a minimum, the instuctor

>could have the student download the skill sheets directly from the NREMT

website

>before the skills lab. In my opinion, the fact that individual instructors are

>unaware of changes in content and testing standards says more about the

>instructor than about the NREMT.

> > >

> > > When commented about NREMT accountability, I interpreted his remarks

>as an admission that, if he had a question about testing standards or

>procedures, he would just pick up the phone and call them. I admire instructors

>who work to keep themselves (and their students) current.

> > >

> > > Perhaps the NREMT could save themselves from a barraige of phone calls by

>communicating more clearly. But, we could make the same argument about any

>organization, instructor, or individual.

> > >

> > > Kenny Navarro

> > > Dallas

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

You are right, Eddie.

GG

Re: new NR skills sheets

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > >>> That's fine, but how does that get out to the thousands of NREMT

>constituents (certificate holders) and educators who were not in the loop? Are

>the NR reps required to disseminate this to everybody? <<<

> > >

> > > Probably not any more required than the AHA is required to meet with EMS

>instructors and students ... or the Traumatic Brain Foundation ... or the PHTLS

>folks (NAEMT) ... or ...

> > >

> > > Perhaps the responsibility for preparing students for the testing phases

>lies with their instructors. Maybe instructors should be more proactive about

>updating their program before each class starts. At a minimum, the instuctor

>could have the student download the skill sheets directly from the NREMT

website

>before the skills lab. In my opinion, the fact that individual instructors are

>unaware of changes in content and testing standards says more about the

>instructor than about the NREMT.

> > >

> > > When commented about NREMT accountability, I interpreted his remarks

>as an admission that, if he had a question about testing standards or

>procedures, he would just pick up the phone and call them. I admire instructors

>who work to keep themselves (and their students) current.

> > >

> > > Perhaps the NREMT could save themselves from a barraige of phone calls by

>communicating more clearly. But, we could make the same argument about any

>organization, instructor, or individual.

> > >

> > > Kenny Navarro

> > > Dallas

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

You are right, Eddie.

GG

Re: new NR skills sheets

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > >>> That's fine, but how does that get out to the thousands of NREMT

>constituents (certificate holders) and educators who were not in the loop? Are

>the NR reps required to disseminate this to everybody? <<<

> > >

> > > Probably not any more required than the AHA is required to meet with EMS

>instructors and students ... or the Traumatic Brain Foundation ... or the PHTLS

>folks (NAEMT) ... or ...

> > >

> > > Perhaps the responsibility for preparing students for the testing phases

>lies with their instructors. Maybe instructors should be more proactive about

>updating their program before each class starts. At a minimum, the instuctor

>could have the student download the skill sheets directly from the NREMT

website

>before the skills lab. In my opinion, the fact that individual instructors are

>unaware of changes in content and testing standards says more about the

>instructor than about the NREMT.

> > >

> > > When commented about NREMT accountability, I interpreted his remarks

>as an admission that, if he had a question about testing standards or

>procedures, he would just pick up the phone and call them. I admire instructors

>who work to keep themselves (and their students) current.

> > >

> > > Perhaps the NREMT could save themselves from a barraige of phone calls by

>communicating more clearly. But, we could make the same argument about any

>organization, instructor, or individual.

> > >

> > > Kenny Navarro

> > > Dallas

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >