Instructional Program Review Template for Academic Year 2013-2014
Please provide a concise response to all questions, and include relevant details in direct support of your responses. Bulleted lists may be used to
clearly organize information.
Section 1 - Program Information
1.0 Name of Program: NorthCoast Paramedic
Date: October 30, 2013
1.1 Program Review Authors (include names and campus locations):
1.2 Dean’s Signature:
Douglas Boileau Eureka Campus
Joe Hash
Date: November 7, 2013
1.3 Individual Program Information
# of Degrees offered: 2
# of Certificates offered: 1
1.3.1 State briefly how the program functions support the college mission:
The Paramedic Program provides outstanding career technical education. Program graduates have an extremely high success rate on national
certification exams and can begin careers in their field immediately to meet the needs of employers in this service area. The program’s advisory
committee encompasses employers from throughout the service area as well as many other members of the local healthcare community.
1.3.2 State briefly program highlights/accomplishments:
The program is accredited by the Committee on the Accreditation of Educational Program for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP). Program
graduates have a 90% first time success rate on national exams compared to a national average of 70%. Cumulative pass rates for national
exams for program graduates are 98% compared to a national average of 84%. Placement of licensed program graduates is 100%.
Section 2 - Data Analysis
2.1 Enrollment & Fill Rate
Enrollment ☒
Review and interpret data by clicking here or going to: http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Program_Select.asp
Select your program and click on: Enrollments & fill rates
Comment if checked:
The HO 159 pre-requisite course consistently enrolls above the District average. The 2012‐2013 enrollments for the
Paramedic course sequences are misleading. HO170C, the last course in the 2011-2012 offering,
is a field internship experience requiring 480 hours of student learning guided by accreditation mandated student learning
outcomes. Time to completion often extends over three semesters (summer, fall and spring), due to student placement
Paramedic ProgramReview201310‐31‐1.docx 5/1/2014 Page 1 availability, contractual agreements with facilities, student work needs, etc. Current CR mechanisms do not allow for positive
attendance reporting semester to semester in one course. Therefore, students who have not completed the 480 hours in the
summer are dropped from the course and added to another section in the fall. If they have not completed by the end of the fall
semester, they are dropped from the course once again and added to a spring section. Positive attendance is reported in the
semester the students finish. This practice makes it quite difficult to determine enrollment per semester. And, it makes it appear
as if the program was offered in 2012-2013, which it was not.
Fill Rate ☒
2.2 Program Majors
Comment if checked:
HO 159 fill rates are above the District averages. The Paramedic faculty (AF) for (HO 170A‐HO 170B‐HO 170C)
have been working with Admissions & Records to address enrollments in HO 170C. This course is a field internship that begins
in the summer semester. Students who do not accrue sufficient field experiences in the summer must continue on into newly
created sections for Fall and Spring. All of the 17 students who successfully completed HO 170B Spring of 2012
enrolled in HO 170C in Summer of 2012. Eight of these completed in Fall 2012 and 7 completed in Spring of 2013. Again, this
makes it appear as if the program was offered in 2012-2013, which it was not.
Additionally, the fill rates for the Paramedic program are misleading because each course serves as a prerequisite to the next
course in the series. In addition, the maximum class size listed for 170-C is 35; the maximum class size for HO 170 A and B is
30.
Review and interpret data by clicking here or going to: http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Program_Select.asp
Select your program and click on: # of Majors
Comment:
2.3 Success & Retention
Success ☐
Retention ☐
2.4 Persistence
Review and interpret data by clicking here or going to: http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Program_Select.asp
Select your program and click on: Success & Retention
Comment if checked:
Comment if checked:
Review and interpret data by clicking here or going to: http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Program_Select.asp
Select your program and click on: Persistence & Completion rates
Paramedic ProgramReview201310‐31‐1.docx 5/1/2014 Page 2 Comment:
2.5 Completers
Review and interpret data by clicking here or going to:
http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Program_Select.asp
Select your program and click on: Persistence & Completion rates
Comment:
2.6 Program Completers
Review and interpret data by clicking here or going to: http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Program_Select.asp
Select your program and click on: # of Completers
Comment:
Student Equity Group Data
2.7 Enrollments
Review and interpret data by clicking here or going to: http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Program_Select.asp
by group
Select your program and click on ~ by Student Equity Group below the Enrollments & fill rates
Comment:
Enrollments by group are close to the District averages. This program does enroll more males than other HO programs and is
above the district average.
2.8 Success & Retention
Review and interpret data by clicking here or going to: http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Program_Select.asp
by group
Select your program and click on ~ by Student Equity Group below success & retention
Comment:
2.9 Completers
by group
Review and interpret data by clicking here or going to: http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Program_Select.asp
Select your program and click on ~ by Student Equity Group next to persistence
Comment:
Skip this item. Data not provided.
Faculty Information
2.10 Faculty
Review and interpret data by clicking here or going to: http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Program_Select.asp
Select your program and click on: Faculty (FT/PT) & FTES/FTEF
Paramedic ProgramReview201310‐31‐1.docx 5/1/2014 Page 3 Comment:
The Program is taught by Associate faculty who are full time working Paramedics. They are also actively involved in the
faculty role.
CTE/Occupational programs
The following Labor Market section should be completed by all CTE/Occupational programs.
Only CTE/Occupational programs need to complete this section (2.9).
2.11 Labor Market Data
Refer to the California Employment Development Division:
http://www.edd.ca.gov/
www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov
Provide a narrative that addresses the following:
a. Documentation of labor market demand
b. Non-duplication of other training programs in the region
c. Effectiveness as measured by student employment and program completions.
Narrative:
Labor Market demand for our region shows an average annual job opening rate of 4 positions. This is data is misleading as it refers to
those workers who are employed primarily as EMT/Paramedics. The type of training our programs provide is required for both structural
and seasonal fire fighters, and security workers. It is also recommended for other emergency response personnel. There are no other
training programs in this area. The Paramedic program has a long history of educating and training paramedics on an every other-year
basis formerly through the local ROP. Student completion and success rates in passing the national registry exam and in employment are
consistently above 85%.
Summary of Section 2
Overall, what did you learn from the data provided in this section? Be sure to indicate if your discoveries apply to the entire district, or if they vary
by site.
In recent history, the Program was offered every other year. However, it was most recently offered for three years in a row, followed by a hiatus in
2012‐2013 to stabilize enrollments. It is currently being offered AY 2013-2014. In addition, the issues surrounding the needed three semesters of
time to complete 170-C must be addressed, particularly since 38 students, rather than 17, are enrolled for 2013-2014.
Section 3 – Critical Reflection of Assessment Activities
Curriculum & Assessment Data
What courses, if any are not on track with regard to a 2-year assessment cycle? Explain if this is a consequence of
how often the course is offered or other mitigating factors such as outcome updates that may have changed the
assessment cycle.
# of course SLO reports submitted during 2012-2013.
Reports submitted in 2012-13 up to the Sept 15, 2013 deadline were included in 2012-2013.
Paramedic ProgramReview201310‐31‐1.docx 5/1/2014 Page 4 N/A
None
# of degree/cert (PLO) reports submitted during 2012-2013.
Reports submitted in 2012-13 up to the Sept 15, 2013 deadline were included in 2012-2013.
% of Course Outlines of Record up to date. Includes approvals through spring 2013.
Explain any mitigating circumstances.
Indicate if you have submitted updated Course Outlines of Record this fall.
If there is no plan for updating outdated curriculum, when will you inactivate?
View curriculum status: click here or go to: http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Program_Select.asp
Select your program and click on: Curriculum Status
Did the Program Advisory Committee Meet in the last year? Y/N
Click here to view the Program Advisory Committee webpage
None – began with 2013-2014
AY
100%
Y
3.1 What changes have been made to the program based on assessment findings? You may include results from your closing the loop reports
that map to your program.
None. Not offered in 2012-2013
3.2 (Optional) Describe assessment findings/observations that may require further research or institutional support.
None. Not offered in 2012-2013
Summary of Section 3
Provide any additional explanations for items described in section 3.
None. Not offered in 2012-2013
Section – 4 Evaluation of Previous Plans
4.1 Describe plans/actions identified in the last program review and their current status. What measurable outcomes were achieved due to
actions completed.
Action plans may encompass several years; an update on the current status, or whether the plan was discarded and why.
Click here to view completed program reviews from last year.
Actions Taken
Paramedic ProgramReview201310‐31‐1.docx Current Status
5/1/2014 Impact of Action (describe all relevant
data used to evaluate the impact)
Page 5 Explore Regionalization
Not pursuing. Mendocino College dropped their EMT
and Paramedic programs. Regionalization was
dependent on these programs.
Now we expect to draw students from
larger catchment area to Eureka campus.
Closest paramedic program is at Santa Rosa
Jr. College.
Revise structure of HO 170C to comply
with attendance, reporting and financial aid
procedures
HO170C, the last course in the Paramedic program,
is a field internship experience requiring 480 hours of
student learning guided by accreditation mandated
student learning outcomes. Time to completion often
extends over three semesters (summer, fall and spring),
due to student placement availability, contractual
agreements with facilities, student work needs, etc.
Current CR mechanisms do not allow for positiveattendance reporting semester to semester in one
course. Therefore, students who have not completed
the 480 hours in the summer are dropped from the
course and added to another section in the fall. If they
have not completed by the end of the fall semester,
they are dropped from the course once again and added
to a spring section. Positive attendance is reported in
the semester the students finish. This practice makes it
quite difficult to determine enrollment per semester.
170 C is occurring again this summer, with
38 students as opposed to 17 the last time
the program was offered. A solution needs
to be found.
Program could handle 30 students every
year. It is the lowest cost paramedic
program in the state, and not impacted.
4.2 (If applicable) Describe how funds provided in support of the plan(s) contributed to program improvement:
N/A
Section – 5 Planning
Documents
Click here to link to Institutional Planning
5.1 Program Plans
Based on data analysis, student learning outcomes and program indicators, assessment and review, and your critical reflections, describe the actions
to be taken for the 2013-2014 academic year. Use as many rows as you have actions, and add additional rows if you have more than 5 actions.
Please number all rows that you add.
Please be specific. This section and section 6 should include a detailed justification so that the resource prioritization committees understand your
needs and their importance.
Paramedic ProgramReview201310‐31‐1.docx 5/1/2014 Page 6 * Not all actions in this program plan section may require resources, but all resource requests must be linked to this section.
5.1 Program Plans
Action #
List the specific
action to be taken in
enough detail so that
someone outside of
your area can
understand.
1
Relationship to
Institutional Plans
Expected Impact on
Program/Student Learning
Relationship to
Assessment
Include the specific plan and
action item relevant to your
action to be taken.
For example: Annual Plan
2013-2014 Theme:
Persistence; or
Goal 1: Student Success:
EP.1.6.2 Develop a plan for
narrowing the achievement
gap for underrepresented
student populations.
Ties directly into the CR
mission, which is to partner
with the community to
contribute to the economic
vitality and lifelong learning
needs of its service area.
Describe the expected impact in a
way that someone outside the
program can understand. The impact
should be measurable.
Include all
assessment results
that indicate that
this action will yield
the desired impact
on the program. If
the assessment has
yet to be conducted,
explain when and
how it will be
conducted.
None. Assessments
are not currently
tied to
programmatic
needs.
Action to be taken:
Create FT Faculty
EMS (Emergency
Medical System) lead
faculty position to
include working with
the Health
Occupations Director
on coordination of
Paramedic and EMT
programs.
Paramedic ProgramReview201310‐31‐1.docx 5/1/2014 Current AF program ‘lead faculty’
manages yearly accreditation reports,
cyclic accreditation self-studies and
site visits, field contacts, and field
internship coordination with students
and facilities, along with a full AF
teaching load. A FT ‘lead faculty,
rather than a PT AF ‘lead faculty’
will provide stability and focus in
regards to student learning outcomes
and program accreditation, in
addition to building the program to
meet regional needs on a yearly,
rather than every-other-year basis
(The program is currently offered
every other year. The closest
paramedic program is located at
Santa Rosa Jr. College, making the
Page 7 Resources
Needed
(Y/N)
A yes here
requires a
corresponding
request in the
next section.
Y
paramedic program at CR the only
program in the region. Offering the
program every year, rather than every
other would help meet regional
market demand for program
graduates and help pay for annual,
required accreditation fees).
5.2 Provide any additional information, brief definitions, descriptions, comments, or explanations, if necessary.
Section 6 - Resource Requests
6.0 Planning Related, Operational, and Personnel Resource Requests. Requests must be accompanied by an action plan in the above section.
Requests should include estimated costs. Submit a support ticket if you do not know the estimated costs.
If you are requesting personnel resources, you must also include the “Request for Faculty or Staffing” forms, located at
inside.redwoods.edu/program review. Submit one form for each request.
Additional Instructions:
 Put down the full amount you are requesting in the “Amount” column. Put down the annual amount of any ongoing or recurring costs in the
“Annual Recurring” column. For example, a personnel request for a permanent position might show an Amount of $30,000 and an Annual
Recurring Cost of $30,000. A request for equipment might show an Amount of $5,000 and an Annual Recurring cost of $200. A
professional development request might show an Amount of $800 and a recurring cost of $0.
 If you have a grant or some other source of funding, include in the “Request” column a brief description of the source of funds and the dollar
amount that is expected to be covered by the other source and if the other source covers any of the annual recurring costs.
 Note in the “Request” column if this is a repeat request, and how many times you have submitted this request.

The item number must match the corresponding action # from section 5. Add rows as necessary.
Type of Request (Check One)
Actio
Request
Planning Operatio Personnel
n#
Describe your request here in a way that someone
To be
nal
use #
outside the program can understand.
reviewed
above
by
To be
Prioritizati
reviewed
To be
on
Committe reviewed by Faculty
Paramedic ProgramReview201310‐31‐1.docx 5/1/2014 Profession
al
Developme
nt
To be
reviewed
Page 8 $
Amount
$
Annual
Recurri
ng
Costs
Contact
Person
(Name,
email,
phone)
es of the
Budget
Planning
Committe
e
1
and
grouped
by
Associate
Deans.
EMS (Emergency Medical System) Program
Coordinator position
Prioritizati
on
Committe
e.
by the
Professiona
l
Developme
nt
Committee
x
100,000
100,000
Alison
Stull
AlisonStull@r
edwood
s.edu
Section 7-Author Feedback
Provide any constructive feedback about how this template or datasets could be improved.
Data is not clear when trying to interpret/read it for the first time. Orientation, expectations for program review and data interpretation is
needed.
How much do you agree with the following statements? (mark your choice with an x )
Strongly Somewhat
Neutral
Agree
Agree
This year’s program review was valuable in
[x ]
[]
[]
planning for the ongoing improvement of my
program.
Analysis of the program review data was useful in
assessing my program.
[ x]
[]
Somewhat
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
[]
[]
[]
[]
[]
Section 8‐ PRC Response by section (completed by PRC after reviewing the program review) 8.0 The response will be forwarded to the author and the supervising Director and Vice President: S.1. Program Information: Completed. This program is currently offered every other year and was not offered during the 2012‐13 year. S.2. Data Analysis: Acceptable. Program working with A&R to address enrollment tracking difficulties. Paramedic ProgramReview201310‐31‐1.docx 5/1/2014 Page 9 S.3. Critical Reflection of Assessment Activities: Developing. Currently insufficient assessment data to link to program changes. SLO to planning, no program assessment. The course SLOs are mapped to program outcomes but only one program level report was submitted, and this report lacks detail. Only two course‐level reports have been submitted between 2011 and 2013, and these have minimal data and discussion. No changes based on assessment have been documented. The program was not offered in 2012‐2013, but the minimal assessment in 2011‐2012 and in the fall of 2013 suggests insufficient assessment activity. S.4. Evaluation of Previous Plans: Acceptable. Evaluation identified this program as being the lowest cost program offered in the state. Evaluation identified a need to restructure one course, HO 170C, which requires 480 field hours which has to be spread over 3 semesters. Because of the no‐
repeat rule, program has to be creative in administering, and yet enabling students to receive their financial aid. This also impacts enrollments. Complex policies regarding state and national accreditation standards. S.5. Planning: Developing. Evaluation supports offering the program annually. Planning not tied to assessment. PRC recommends clarification in planning and tying to assessment and institutional documents. Not enough ties to strategic and educational master plans. S.6. Resource Requests: Resource request tied to section 5 planning. Paramedic ProgramReview201310‐31‐1.docx 5/1/2014 Page 10