Emergency Medical Technician

Nashville State's EMT program provides students with the education, hands-on training, and real-world experiences needed to succeed in emergency medical services. Courses are taught by experienced EMS professionals who bring years of field and healthcare experience into the classroom.

Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) certification examination. Graduates who meet all certification and state requirements may obtain Tennessee EMT licensure and enter the workforce immediately.

All EMSB courses are conducted at the Dickson Campus, with clinical and field internship experiences completed through partnerships with EMS agencies and healthcare facilities across Middle Tennessee, providing students with valuable exposure to diverse patient populations and EMS systems.

 

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Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals are often the first healthcare providers on scene, delivering lifesaving care, comfort, and critical support during medical emergencies. EMTs serve as a vital link between the public and the healthcare system, responding to emergencies, assessing patients, providing essential medical care, and safely transporting patients for further treatment.

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Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) provide out of hospital emergency medical care and transportation for critical and emergent patients who access the emergency medical services (EMS) system. EMTs have the basic knowledge and skills necessary to stabilize and safely transport patients ranging from non-emergency and routine medical transports to life threatening emergencies. EMTs function as part of a comprehensive EMS response system, under medical oversight. EMTs perform interventions with the basic equipment typically found on an ambulance. EMTs are a critical link between the scene of an emergency and the health care system.

An EMT is a frontline responder trained to provide basic emergency care including CPR, bleeding control, airway management, and patient assessment.  EMTs are vital in stabilizing patients and preparing them for transport.

 

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Yes – AEMT & Paramedic

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Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
EMTs provide basic emergency medical care and transportation for sick and injured patients. They are trained in patient assessment, CPR, bleeding control, airway management, oxygen administration, splinting, and other lifesaving interventions. EMTs are often the first healthcare providers to arrive at an emergency scene.

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Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)

AEMTs build upon the skills of an EMT by providing additional medical interventions. They can administer certain medications, establish intravenous (IV) access, perform advanced airway procedures, and provide a higher level of patient care while still operating under medical direction.

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Paramedic

Paramedics are the highest level of prehospital emergency care providers. They receive extensive education and training in advanced assessment, cardiac care, pharmacology, and critical care procedures. Paramedics can administer a wide range of medications, interpret cardiac rhythms, perform advanced airway management, and provide complex medical care for critically ill or injured patients.

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In short:

🚑 EMT = Basic emergency care
💉 AEMT = Basic care plus limited advanced procedures and medications
❤️ Paramedic = Comprehensive advanced emergency and critical care

Many EMS professionals begin their careers as EMTs and advance their education to become AEMTs and Paramedics as they gain experience and pursue additional training.

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Nashville State's EMT curriculum is designed to provide the knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience needed to become a competent and confident Emergency Medical Technician. Coursework covers emergency medical care, trauma management, EMS operations, patient assessment, and clinical practice. 

Students complete a combination of: 

✅ Classroom Instruction 
✅ Medical & Trauma Skills Labs 
✅ High-Fidelity Simulation Experiences 
✅ Hospital Clinical Rotations 
✅ EMS Field Internships 

Upon completion of all six courses, students are prepared to pursue National Registry certification and Tennessee EMT licensure. 🚑 

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The EMT curriculum combines classroom instruction, hands-on skills laboratories, clinical experiences, and field internships to prepare students for National Registry certification and entry-level practice as an Emergency Medical Technician. 

Program Courses: 

• EMSB 1101 – EMT Medical Skills Lab (1 Credit) 

• EMSB 1102 – EMT Trauma and Medical Skills Lab (1 Credit) 

• EMSB 1111 – EMT Clinical (1 Credit) 

• EMSB 1112 – EMT Field Internship (1 Credit) 

• EMSB 1601 – EMT Medical Emergencies and EMS Operations (6 Credits) 

• EMSB 1602 – EMT Trauma and Medical Emergencies (6 Credits) 

Throughout the program, students learn patient assessment, airway management, medical and trauma care, emergency operations, communication, professionalism, and teamwork through a blend of classroom learning, simulation training, clinical rotations, and field experiences. 

Total Program Credits: 16 

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One Semester

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Interested individuals must complete the admissions process into the college (including the removal of all applicable holds) prior to being considered for enrollment into the EMT program.

Applicants must:

1. Be admitted to Nashville State and in good academic standing. 
2. Attend required information session
3. All applicants will complete a short essay, time provided during required information session. 

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The program is open to all students meeting admission requirements for the College based on the admission or readmission status the applicant is seeking.

Accepted students will be required to provide a copy of a background check and drug screening. NSCC does not use background checks or drug screenings as criteria for admission to the program. Background checks and drug screenings are required by clinical sites as a condition of participation. Students are required to participate in a variety of clinical experiences to successfully complete the program. For questions regarding the background check, please call 615-353-3647. Applicants are advised that the following circumstances may affect a graduate’s eligibility for state licensure.

This includes “history within the past three years of habitual intoxication or personal misuse of any drugs or the use of intoxicating liquors, narcotics, controlled substances, or other drugs or stimulants in such manner as to adversely affect the person’s ability to practice as an emergency medical technician. Licensure applicants must disclose circumstances surrounding any conviction of any criminal law violation other than minor traffic violations, denial of professional licensure/certification, discipline, loss or restriction of licensure or certification by any other state or discipline with the TN Department of Health EMS.” Individuals with concerns about how a felony conviction could influence their certification or credentialing status are strongly encouraged to contact the TN DOH EMS.

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Applying to the EMT program is a two-step process. 

Step 1: Apply to Nashville State Community College 
All prospective EMT students must first be fully admitted to the college. During the college application process, you will not see an option to select EMS as your program of study. 

All applicants will be notified regarding admission status through the student portal.   

 

Step 2: Complete the EMT Program Application 
Once you have been officially admitted to the college and all admission requirements have been satisfied, you will gain access to the EMT program application. Accepted students will be provided with additional information regarding next steps including orientation, uniforms, course materials needed and required health and background check steps. 

 

Missing Admission Requirements? 
If your college application is still pending or you are unsure what documents or requirements are outstanding, please contact the Welcome Center for assistance:  📧 welcomecenter@nscc.edu      📞 615-353-3215 

The Welcome Center can help you identify and complete any remaining admission requirements so you can move forward with the EMT application process. 

 

🚑 Ready to get started?
Apply to Nashville State today and take the first step toward a career in Emergency Medical Services. 

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EMS Academy classes are conducted exclusively at the Dickson Campus. EMT classes are offered during the day Tuesday’s and Thursdays from 0800-1700, with an hour break for lunch.

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Students will schedule and attend 96 hours of clinical rotations outside of class. These rotations will be at clinical sites specified by the instructor cadre. Generally, clinicals are divided into 8-hour and 12-hour shifts, depending on the rotation, constituting approximately 10 days of clinical rotation throughout the program.

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All applicants will be notified regarding admission status through student portal. Accepted students will be provided with additional information regarding next steps including orientation, uniforms, course materials needed and required health and background check steps.

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While online resources are available while you are in class, there is no dedicated online course. In fact, the State of Tennessee Office of EMS does not authorize any TN State EMS program to offer any portion of their course online.

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