PHTLS
Course Overview
The PHTLS course is developed in cooperation with the American College of Surgeons and is recognized globally as a leading program in prehospital trauma education. It aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of prehospital care providers in managing trauma patients effectively. The course emphasizes critical thinking and the application of evidence-based treatment practices in real-world scenarios.
NAEMT's Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) is recognized around the world as the leading continuing education program for prehospital emergency trauma care. The mission of PHTLS is to promote excellence in trauma patient management by all providers involved in the delivery of prehospital care. PHTLS is developed by NAEMT in cooperation with the American College of Surgeons' Committee on Trauma. The Committee provides the medical direction and content oversight for the PHTLS program.
PHTLS courses improve the quality of trauma care and decrease mortality. The program is based on a philosophy stressing the treatment of the multi-system trauma patient as a unique entity with specific needs. PHTLS promotes critical thinking as the foundation for providing quality care. It is based on the belief that, given a good fund of knowledge and key principles, EMS practitioners are capable of making reasoned decisions regarding patient care.
The course utilizes the internationally recognized PHTLS textbook and covers the following topics:
- Physiology of life and death
- Scene assessment
- Patient assessment
- Hemorrhage control
- Airway
- Breathing, ventilation, and oxygenation
- Circulation and shock
- Special populations
PHTLS Course Prerequisites
To enroll in a Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) Provider Course, you must meet certain eligibility and administrative requirements set by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) and the training provider.
Core eligibility
- You must be a prehospital provider such as an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), EMT, Paramedic, Nurse, Physician Assistant, or Physician
- You must have the appropriate EMS certification or equivalent for your role. For example, EMTs must be certified by a state or equivalent body, and Paramedics must hold a valid paramedic license
- You must be able to attend the full course duration (typically 16 hours for the Provider course, 8 hours for the Recertification course)
Time
Inital- 16 Hours
Renewal- 8 Hours