What is EMS ConnectME?
EMS ConnectME is an academic opportunity to learn about and experience the field of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). It connects participants, called “Learners,” with their local EMS agencies to build relationships with working professionals, develop leadership and communication skills, and serve the community. The program enables participants to make an informed decision about choosing a career in EMS, and provides a bridge to subsequent EMS education. Any EMS agency or school can initiate and host the program.
The Learner Experience
If you are over 16 and thinking about a career in EMS or healthcare, consider trying it out first with EMS ConnectME. You will start at Level 1, with online training to understand the foundations of this essential service. This includes choosing goals for your experience, as well as learning about boundaries, professionalism, and mental health.
Once you complete the foundational learning, you will connect with a Mentor at a local EMS agency to begin doing in-person activities. You will obtain CPR certification, and learn about EMS equipment and where to find it on the ambulance. Additional activities vary around Maine because each agency has different capabilities and partnerships. Some agencies take their Learners on field trips to mutual aid departments or the local dispatch center, while others focus on activities in the community such as health clinics and CPR classes in schools.
If you want to start going on EMS calls, you will need to work toward becoming a Level 2 Learner. This involves additional online learning on how to be safe on emergency scenes, how to act on calls, and how to protect a patient’s confidential information. You will also get your First-Aid and Stop-the-Bleed certification. Once you have completed those prerequisites and demonstrated that you know your way around the ambulance, you can apply to and interview with your agency to become Level 2.
After getting your agency’s approval for Level 2, you can start riding on EMS calls with your Mentor. On calls, you will be responsible for getting any supplies or equipment that your Mentor needs, carrying items and patient belongings, and observing how EMS professionals interact with real patients. Afterwards, you will reflect on the things you saw and did, and talk through any questions with your Mentor. This is your opportunity to experience what EMS personnel do on a daily basis for their patients and communities.
If your time as an EMS Learner inspires you to pursue training to become an Emergency Medical Responder or Emergency Medical Technician, your agency and Mentor can help you find an available licensure course in your area.
The EMS Agency Experience
EMS agencies across Maine have reported challenges with engaging the next generation of clinicians. EMS ConnectME offers an opportunity to strengthen the EMS workforce by ensuring that those seeking licensure are making an informed decision and have a strong support system. In addition, current EMS personnel benefit from having eager new learners in their agency, and can be reinvigorated by the opportunity to share their knowledge, show off their skills, and serve as mentors for the next generations.
An EMS agency that is interested in starting an EMS ConnectME site should fill out the EMS ConnectME Interest Form, or reach out to Maine EMS. The program depends on local relationships and resources, so agencies will work together with their nearby schools, as well as public safety and healthcare partners, to develop the activities that they can offer to their Learners. To help guide the program, the agency and school collaborate to write an Action Plan that identifies their capacity, resources, and potential activities.
Adult service members must complete a MEMSEd training on the expectations and rules of EMS ConnectME. This training helps to ensure everyone understands what Learners are allowed to do, and how adult service members should interact with them. Those holding Maine EMS licensure will receive continuing education hours for the training.
Anyone interested in being a program Mentor must complete additional training on the responsibilities of that role, which include supervising and guiding Learners, leading activities, and embodying the best parts of EMS. Mentors have a very important role in the program, as they will greatly influence a Learner’s decision to continue into the field of EMS.
The School Experience
EMS ConnectME is an opportunity to offer students real-world experiences while learning. Students participating in the program will interact with working professionals and engage with local public services, gaining transferable skills including communication, leadership, reliability, and respect. As EMS Learners, students are not only able to develop their own career goals, they also become role models among their peers.
The program is designed to fit into a JMG class, an Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO), a traditional education model, or an after-school club format. The online learning for the program is hosted on JMG’s GenUS Learning Exchange, and is available to any school in Maine that has a signed Memorandum of Understanding to use it.
Each program site must designate at least one Instructor of Record, the person assigned to guiding Learners through the course, approving their assignments, and maintaining open communication with the EMS agency. The Instructor of Record will complete the GenUS Learning Exchange Instructor Nuts & Bolts training, and receive an overview of the EMS ConnectME curriculum.
The school and EMS agency work together to establish academic accountability and attendance expectations, approve activities, and work out the logistics for parental permission, transportation, and insurance coverage. Some of these become part of their Action Plan, while others remain less formalized. Program activities can be conducted as field trips, and students may be allowed to visit the station during study periods. A program conducted as a club can also collaborate with other nearby schools to allow their students to participate.
In addition to sending students into the community on field trips, a school can also invite their local partners into the classroom. Learners and their Mentors can present on their experiences, teach CPR or First-Aid, and give tours of the ambulance. These activities can enrich the education of Learners and their classmates, while ensuring that the next year’s students know about the opportunities offered by EMS ConnectME.
Program Partnership
EMS ConnectME was developed through a partnership between Maine Office of Emergency Medical Services (Maine EMS) and JMG. Maine EMS is part of the Maine Department of Public Safety, and regulates the provision of emergency medical services in the State of Maine. JMG is an educational nonprofit that partners with public education and private businesses to offer results-driven solutions to ensure all Maine students graduate, attain post-secondary credentials, and pursue meaningful careers.
Additional Resources:
- For more information, visit our website: https://www.maine.gov/ems/ConnectME
- Want to bring EMS ConnectME to your community? Fill out our Interest Form: https://forms.office.com/g/jam6azKeBk