EMS/Paramedic
ADVISORY BO ARD MEETING MINUTES
December 8, 2015. 9:00 a.m., RTC 213
Attendees: Kasandra Gamboa; Student, Cole Schafer; Student, Sean-Luke Brija; student, Kody Valer; Student, David
Gronneman; Central Lyon Fire, Ed McDonald; Sparks Fire, Emily Sagalyn, Assistant Physician of Record, Wayne Hardwick,
Physician of Record, Tom Soule; East Fork Fire, Darryl Cleveland, TMCC Director Public Safety.
Jeanie Silver, Recorder
1.
2.
Update on Accreditation Status: Annual Report is due on 12/31/2015 and Accreditation is in good standing.
Degree Update: AAS Pre-hospital Medicine began Fall 2015 and there is already a graduate. Don Walls III was the
first to complete and receive this degree. Director Cleveland expects several other previous Paramedic students to
finish this degree quickly.
3.
Internal/External Relations: TMCC has three EMT, 2 AEMT and the Paramedic program scheduled for Spring 2016.
a.
Class 27 Paramedic program student update (Kassandra Gamboa): Finals for fall semester are this week.
Students are completing a general overview of subjects for fall and coordinating skills levels to be tested.
The students will be moving into specialties this spring. The students feel the cardiology is extensive and
needed.
b.
Class 26 Paramedic program: Started with 12, finished 5 students. This is due mostly to academics, some
did not make it through their internship for various reasons. Each of the 5 successful students completed
testing or are scheduled. Three have become Paramedic certified to date.
c.
EMT (Kody Valer): Students are also headed into finals then into the skills testing for NREMT. The students
feel that starting skills immediately would assist with understanding and solidifying their abilities with
performance. They also are requesting an adjustment to the uniforms for the skills portion of the course.
d.
AEMT – (M Shulz report): retention rate is high, of the 25 current students, 15 are ready to apply for the
next Paramedic academy. Each class knows the step by step processes needed to succeed.
e.
Program Unit Review: Due 12/15/2016, Self-study shows that many things have changed over the 5 year
period. Chief will send report out to advisory board members.
4.
Program Changes (possible changes)
a.
EMT/AEMT/A&P course changes: There is now a requirement for a portion of each class to involve A&P
within the curriculum. Instructors feel this is an essential component to adequate learning levels.
b.
Program uniform vendor: The current uniform vendor had some supply situations, therefore; we are
changing to an online supplier with a better supply line. This change will take affect Fall 2016.
c.
Clinical and Field: The department did not plan internship sites early enough. Start planning internships in
June. The department needs to have commitment from agencies to take student internship. Presently have
Folsom, CA that will take 2 students and Berkley will take at least 1. A large problem with internship sites
is that REMSA is not available as they have just taken 50 applications for 30 slots in their education
program. Proposal thoughts: is there a potential for an agreement for TMCC to become the official
Paramedic training site. Discussion ensued.
d.
Department is contemplating internship format changes to 50/50 transport to non-transport. Students will
still be required to complete their 40 ACLS contacts.
e.
The department is changing back to FISDAP due to the Platinum format not working to the extent
expected. FISDAP will allow for Preceptor training on the program. The program is now updated and user
friendly. Students will be able to use it more efficiently as well. Possibly move to ebook and tablets.
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f.
Continuing Education: J. Nishikida is now the coordinator of this program. Will be working on Refresher
courses, additional CPR type courses and other identifiable needs within the CE realm.
g.
CECEBEMS accreditation: J. Nishikida is also working on completing requirements for this accreditation. No
expected date on this completion.
h.
Personnel Actions:
i. New additions to Workshop Instructors, Tia Dida and Lincoln Brown come to us very highly
recommended.
ii. Don Walls is also working with the Paramedic Program.
iii. Currently the department has a full time Paramedic/EMT instructor position open. The hiring
process is a length situation. Could possibly receive approval for an emergency hire. We expect to
have someone on board by Fall 2016. The department is in need of Part Time Instructors that are
interested in teaching specific subject areas.
5.
Sponsoring Institution Update: Dean was unavailable for comments.
6.
Identified Strengths:
a.
Equipment Upgrades: Produced a list of needs for the department, New ambulance, sim table, and a
variety of additional training tools.
b.
External Relationships: Department needs to work on rebuilding agency to college relationships. Need to
work to provide agencies more of what the need and request. Need better communication with those
agencies as well.
c.
Preceptors need to be trained by TMCC and need to be proficient in entry level paramedics. At this point,
discussion ensued on different agency protocols and preceptor qualifications.
7.
Identified Weaknesses:
a.
Field internship sites: need many more especially with a larger enrollment expectation for Fall 2016-Spring
2017.
b.
8.
Department communications: Communications with agencies need to be improved.
Action Plan for Improvement
a.
Near term needs.
i. Assistant Medical Director Dr. Emily Sagalyn has agreed to be TMCC Assistant Medical Director.
ii. Improve communication: Need exists for better communication between agencies and department,
suggestion to create a contract between entities to gain consistency.
iii. Develop departmental faculty meeting schedule: Chief Cleveland has started this procedure
iv. Further define department organization chart, this will reflect Director, full time faculty, part time
faculty and workshop instructor, more in a chain of command order.
v.
Establish program minimum skill/standardization: A Skills Manual has been developed to assist
with this process and for standardization purposes.
vi.
Solicit stakeholder input for improvement: Establish better communication and accept suggestions
on what level of training is best for agencies and employers.
b.
Long term needs
i. Develop replacement cycle for non-disposable equipment assets: Chief will communicate needs to
agencies, possible donations available.
ii. Develop training plan for staffing: Plans are in the works to create training for preceptors involved
with entry level paramedics and create a level of proficiency.
iii. Secure additional Field Internship sites: Chief is working on placement with Fresno and other
California agencies. Local agencies have also stepped up to take a few internship students. Chief
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EMS/Paramedic Advisory Board Meeting Minutes
would like to have an idea of logistical parameters, understands each agency has their own
protocols but would like to see about creating consistency for college internships.
iv.
Develop system to apply Paramedic accreditation model to EMT/AEMT: Director and faculty are
working on this situation.
v.
Maintain program standardization across all levels: The start to this has been to have all student
using this same uniform across the board. All levels of EMT use the same Anatomy Physiology book
and EMT/AEMT use the AAOS books.
vi. Maintain stakeholder input for improvement: Advisory board suggestions are always welcome and
are considered valuable information. Due to the college environment the suggestions may need
revision however, all input is considered.
9.
Other business: There is a possibility of 24 students coming into the next Paramedic Academy, this is mostly due
to the current bridge program success.
Comment was made that there is an overall improvement in the program success rate.
Chief stated that for those students that have been successful in their internship, the testing pass rate is 100%.
10.
Future Meeting: Chief will email advisory board on next meeting date.
11.
Meeting adjourned: 10:15 a.m.
Page 3 of 3; EMS/Paramedic Advisory Board Meeting Minutes
TMCC is an EEO/AA institution. See http://eeo.tmcc.edu for more information.
Rev.: 3/4/2016