The National Continued Competency Program: The ‘New’ Recertification

Since the 1980s, national EMS recertification has consisted of 72 clock hours of continuing education for each nationally certified EMS provider level. Recently, the EMS community across the nation has been changing entry-level requirements with the adoption of the new National EMS Scope of Practice and implementation of the EMS Education Guidelines. Because entry-level requirements have changed, it was necessary to evaluate the recertification continued competency requirements.

In 2012, the NREMT introduced a new recertification model, the National Continued Competency Program (NCCP). Constructed using methodology similar to that of the American Board of Medical Specialty requirements, the new NCCP model streamlines the recertification process into three strategic categories of continuing education: National, Local, and Individual.

The NCCP offers numerous improvements that will impact EMS for the better for years to come. These changes allow a platform for evidenced-based medicine to reach EMS professionals all over the country, give state and local agencies the freedom to dictate a portion of the national recertification requirements and provide a foundation for the EMS professional to embrace life-long learning through self-assessment.

The national component of the NCCP (the ‘new’ refresher) will constitute 50% of the new recertification requirements at each level and will replace the traditional DOT refresher. Topics will be updated every four years and will reflect current trends in evidence-based medicine, scope of practice changes and position papers from numerous associations involved with EMS research. It will also serve to focus on those patient presentations that have a low frequency but high criticality.

The local component of the NCCP will constitute 25% of the new recertification requirements at each level. The requirement for these hours will be decided by local entities, including the state, region or agency. These topics can include, but are not limited to, state or local protocol changes, tasks that require remediation based on QA/QI and topics chosen from run reviews. The local component allows national recertification requirements to be adapted to the needs of the state and local agencies. Methods to provide current continuing education such as monthly training, conferences, and in-service training will stay the same.

Finally, the individual component of the NCCP will constitute the last 25% of the new recertification requirements at each level. Within this component, an individual is free to take any EMS-related education. As a result of the new NCCP recertification model, the total continuing education hours needed to recertify a national EMS certification have been reduced for EMTs, AEMTs and Paramedics (Table 1). As this model is implemented throughout the country, more information regarding the transition to the new recertification model will be provided.

Table 1. NCCP Hour Requirements by Level (Every 2 Years)