Are you considering becoming an EMT in Arizona? This guide will walk you through the steps required by the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma. Arizona EMT training begins with choosing and completing an EMT program. Next, candidates must pass the National Registry of EMT (NREMT) exams to receive national certification. Finally candidates can apply for an Arizona EMT license which certifies them to work as an EMT in the state of Arizona. Scroll down to find detailed information about each step in the Arizona EMT training process.
This page also discusses prerequisites for Arizona licensure along with Arizona EMS scope of practice skills for all levels of emergency medical technician.
Arizona EMS License Levels
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)
- EMT Intermediate-99 (Arizona certified only)
- Paramedic
How to Become an EMT in Arizona
While navigating Arizona’s EMS and Trauma System website you will notice they frequently use the abbreviation EMCT. They refer to EMCT certification where other EMS sites would use the term EMT certification.
What is an EMCT?
EMCT stands for Emergency Medical Care Technician.
All levels of EMS are considered EMCTs. So paramedics, AEMTs and EMTs are all considered EMCTs by the Arizona EMS and Trauma System website.
You can find information for EMCTs in the section for EMS providers at The Arizona Department of Heath Services website under the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services & Trauma System section.
The Bureau promotes improvements in Arizona EMT professional’s education and research. They are responsible for handling and maintaining the Arizona EMS and trauma systems. According to the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) Arizona has around 12,007 nationally registered EMS personnel in the state.
Volunteering in Arizona
The state of Arizona Bureau of Emergency Medical Services encourages EMTs and other healthcare professionals to register as a volunteer in advance of an emergency situation. This allows them to rapidly mobilize EMTs during an actual emergency.
However, they are also interested in any “non-health community volunteer willing to be on-call to support Arizona in the event of a disaster.” This means you can register as a volunteer now, even if you don’t have any medical certifications. Then, after becoming an Arizona EMT you can upgrade your volunteer status from a “General Volunteer” to join the local “Medical Reserve Corps Units.”
Anyone interested in registering can go to the Arizona website here and begin the online volunteer registration.
Arizona will use their volunteers during disasters and declared emergency events. Joining the local Medical Reserve Corps Unit also gives volunteers the opportunity for special training and preparedness activities.
I highly recommend residents of Arizona to check out this volunteering opportunity. You don’t need medical experience and they only call you during disasters and state emergencies. Having a data base of volunteers helps Arizona EMS be prepared and handle situations in a more organized manner.
EMT Schools in Arizona
Arizona EMT training begins by finding a good training program. Keep in mind that paramedic programs need to be CAAHEP/CoAEMSP accredited. A good EMT program will prepare graduates to manage airways, control bleeding, treat burns and respond to emergency situations. Arizona EMT students will also learn how to provide life-saving care and give transport to the sick and injured.
Arizona EMT training programs will also teach graduates to complete patient care assessments, take a SAMPLE history, and use signs and symptoms to choose the correct patient care interventions.
Some common calls an Arizona EMT may have to respond to are motor vehicle accidents, cardiac events, emergency childbirth, bleeding and shock, gunshot wounds, slip and falls, along with many other medical and traumatic situations.
EMT school in Arizona will require students to complete a classroom portion along with clinical rotations. After completing an Arizona EMT program, students become eligible to take the NREMT exams.
Prerequisites EMT School: Arizona
Arizona EMT schools may have a list of requirements for admission. Not all schools have the same prerequisites, but here is a list of common requirements.
- Must be at least 18 years old at the start of EMT courses in Arizona.
- EMT courses in Arizona require a High School diploma or GED.
- Arizona EMT schools require a government-issued photo ID.
- An Arizona EMT may need to submit the Verification of Lawful Presence Form to prove U.S. citizenship.
- Some EMT courses in Arizona will want a background check with fingerprint clearance.
- Emt courses in Arizona will require a negative drug test.
- Proof of personal health insurance will be required from Arizona EMT students during the training program.
- An Arizona EMT may have to complete COMPASS, ASSET, SAT or other placement testing.
- EMT courses in Arizona require students have CPR for the Healthcare Provider Certification. Most programs will accept the American Heart Association or American Red Cross CPR classes.
- Student must have a current Flu shot to begin EMT courses in Arizona.
- Proof of a negative tuberculosis test will be needed for Arizona EMT students.
- EMT courses in Arizona will require proof of immunizations or titers for the following:
MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
Varicella (Chicken Pox)
Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis)
- Students beginning EMT courses in Arizona must provide proof that Tdap or DPT vaccine was done within the last 10 years.
- Arizona EMT students will need proof of Hepatitis B vaccinations.
- EMT courses in Arizona require a Dress Code to maintain a professional training atmosphere.
Prerequisites Paramedic School: Arizona
Paramedic programs in Arizona are longer and more rigorous than lower level EMT programs. Therefore, many of them will have a more difficult set of standards for acceptance. While paramedic programs in Arizona will each have their own set of prerequisites, here is a list of common requirements.
- Paramedic programs in Arizona will require applicants to already be a certified EMT (or higher).
- Some paramedic programs in Arizona will want applicants to work as an EMT for 12 months before submitting an application.
- Almost all paramedic programs in Arizona will require applicants to pass a FBI background check.
- Arizona paramedic applicants will need to pass a drug screening. Often a negative 12-panel drug screen is required.
- It’s common for Arizona paramedic program applicants to take a physical fitness test or submit a medical clearance form.
- Some paramedic programs in Arizona require applicants to pass an EMT level written entrance exam.
Forms for Arizona applicants to submit:
- Copy of valid state issued photo ID.
- Copy of Arizona EMT or AEMT certification card.
- Copy of current CPR for the Healthcare Provider Card (Include front and back of card).
- Copy of current health insurance card.
EMT Certification: Arizona
In order to get Arizona EMT certification, candidates will need to complete a training program in Arizona and then pass both National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician exams. After passing the psychomotor and cognitive exams, the candidate becomes certified by the National Registry of EMTs. The next step is to apply for an Arizona EMT license from the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System.
The Arizona EMT license is a state license that allows EMS to work in Arizona, while the NREMT certification is a national certification that show competency.
Psychomotor Exam
The Psychomotor exam is a hands on practical test of an Arizona EMT’s skills. The National Registry psychomotor exam will be introduced to students by their EMT instructor. EMT programs in Arizona will prepare students for the psychomotor exam and instructors will explain how to set up a test date and time at the end of EMT training. Paramedics and AEMTs schedule their exam differently than an EMT. They can set up their psychomotor exam directly through the National Registry of EMT website.
Cognitive Exam
The National Registry of EMT cognitive exam is written test that is computer administered. After finishing school, Arizona EMT candidates can go online at the NREMT website to register for a testing date. The National Registry of EMT will provide applicants with an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter. Once an Arizona EMT applicant has an ATT letter, the next step is to log into the Pearson Vue website and set up a testing date and location.
The NREMT cognitive exams will be different for each level of testing. For example, the Arizona paramedic exam will be a computer adaptive test with anywhere from 80 to 150 questions, while the AEMT exam will be a linear computer based test with exactly 135 questions. To learn more about the test, check out our NREMT exam page.
Arizona EMT License
Applying for an Arizona EMT license must be done online. Before submitting an application, you have to register an account at https://ems.azdhs.gov/ and then wait for approval. The Arizona EMS and Trauma System will review the online profile information and send an account activation email once approved. They specify that applicants should not attempt to log in until after the activation email is sent.
→ When creating your Arizona EMT application, the first page to be displayed will be about “Public Benefit Eligibility”. This is the information that proves you have the right to work in the United States. In order to get past this requirement, anyone applying for an Arizona EMT license will need to upload a document from their computer into the system. You can do that by going down to the browse button and submitting one of the acceptable eligibility documents. (A Social security card or drivers license aren’t acceptable.)
→ Arizona EMT applicants will need to submit proof of passing the NREMT exams and getting nationally certified.
→ Applicants for an Arizona EMT license will need to answer questions related to Convictions and Sentencing Status. A Criminal History addendum will be added depending on your answers. Any Arizona EMT license applicants with criminal convictions will need to upload court documents to complete this section.
→ The Arizona EMT license application has a section for Regulatory Actions. It asks whether applicants have had an EMT certification, recertification or licensure revoked in any other state or jurisdiction during the last 5 years. A Regulatory History addendum will be added if the answer is yes, and the applicant will need to upload supporting documents.
→ Under the tab Az Certification Level Requested, applicants will be able to choose the license they are applying for from either EMT, AEMT or Paramedic.
When it’s complete and you are happy with the application, you can submit it to the Bureau for approval.
Arizona EMS Scope of Practice
Each level of emergency medical care technician in Arizona has a set of protocols they are authorized to practice. Below you will find the scope of practice set for each level of EMCT. Some skills are only allowed to be practiced by emergency responders with extra training. These are listed separately.
Arizona EMT Scope of Practice
Emergency medical technicians in Arizona are trained to perform the following skills.
- Perform automated and manual blood pressures.
- Perform eye irrigation.
- Use of blood glucose monitoring system.
- Assist in childbirth.
- Assist with complicated childbirth.
- Maintenance of non-medicated IV fluids and hep-lock.
- Administration of oral medications.
- Assisting patient with the following patient prescribed medications: ASA/Nitro, Auto-injector and nebulized/aerosolized medications.
- Use of cervical collar, long board, manual and seated patient (KED) devices for spinal immobilization.
- Perform rapid manual extrication.
- Use of extremity stabilization and splinting.
- Application of traction splint.
- Use of mechanical patient restraints.
- Perform emergency moves for endangered patients.
- Hemorrhage control using direct pressure and tourniquet.
- Perform automatic and semi-automatic defibrillation.
- Perform CPR.
- Perform upper airway suctioning.
- Pulse oximetry monitoring.
- Deliver oxygen therapy with nasal cannula, non-rebreather mask, humidifiers, simple face mask, partial rebreather mask, or venturi mask.
- Can use demand valve manually triggered ventilation.
- Use of Bag Valve Mask.
- Placement of oral and nasal airways.
- Apply Cricoid pressure (Sellick’s Maneuver).
- Perform manual airway obstruction removals.
- Can use mouth to: mouth, barrier, stoma, nose or mask.
- Use of head-tilt chin lift.
- Use of jaw-thrust and modified jaw-thrust maneuvers.
Additional EMT Skills
Here are skills that can be added to the EMT scope of practice if the EMT gets training for each additional skill.
- Insert supraglottic and esophageal airways.
- Use of automated transport ventilator.
- Perform orotracheal intubation.
- Use of cardiac multiple lead acquisition.
- Use of Mechanical CPR Device.
ADDITIONAL MEDICATIONS
- Small volume nebulizer.
- Intranasal and Buccal routes.
- Auto-Injector.
- Nebulized/aerosolized (beta agonist).
- Peripheral IV initiation.
AEMT Arizona Scope of Practice
An Arizona AEMT can perform all the skills of an EMT along with the following:
- Insert supraglottic and esophageal airways.
- Tracheobronchial suctioning in a ventilated patient.
MEDICATIONS
- Can assisting patient with the following prescribed medication: Hydrocortisone sodium succinate.
- Perform Intraosseous needle insertion.
- Initiate and access peripheral IV’s.
- Administer medications via the following routes:
- Auto-injector, Buccal and Intramuscular.
- Inhaled self-administered (nitrous oxide).
- Intranasal, Intravenous push and Sublingual.
- Small volume nebulizer and Subcutaneous.
Additional AEMT Skills
Here are skills that can be added to the AEMT scope of practice if the AEMT gets training for each additional skill.
- Cardiac multiple lead acquisition.
- Use of Mechanical CPR Device.
- Use of an Automated transport ventilator.
- Perform orotracheal intubation.
- Medication Routes: Intraosseous and Rectal.
Arizona Paramedic Scope of Practice
An Arizona Paramedic can perform all the skills of the EMT and AEMT along with the following:
- Use of Automated transport ventilator.
- Use of BiPaP and CPaP devices.
- Perform needle and percutaneous Cricothyrotomy
- Monitoring and detecting end tidal CO2/Capnography.
- Insert nasogastric tube or orogastric tube for gastric decompression.
- Orotracheal and nasotracheal intubations.
- Perform Laryngoscopy for airway obstruction removal.
- Use of positive end-expiratory pressure ventilation.
- Perform tracheobronchial suctioning.
- Use of single and multiple lead cardiac monitoring.
- Perform electrical cardioversion.
- Perform manual defibrillation.
- Monitor internal cardiac pacing.
- Perform manual transcutaneous pacing.
MEDICATIONS
- Central line monitoring.
- Access indwelling catheters and implanted IV ports.
- Maintenance of medicated IV fluids.
- Administer medications via these routes:
- Endotracheal tube and Nasogastric tube.
- Intravenous piggyback and Intraosseous.
- Give medications rectally.
Additional Paramedic Skills
These are skills that can be added to the paramedic scope of practice as long as the paramedic gets training for each additional skill.
- Umbilical IV initiation.
- Perform Morgan Lens eye irrigation.
- Initiation of thrombolytic therapy.
- Urinary catheterization.
- Perform venous blood sampling.
- Blood chemistry analysis.
- Give medications intradermally.
- Use of Mechanical CPR Device.
- Perform surgical Cricothyrotomy.
- Medication assisted intubation (with paralytics).
- Perform carotid massage.
- Assist in Chest Tube placement.
- Manage and monitor Chest Tubes.
Arizona Department of Health Services
For more information about EMT, AEMT and paramedic programs in Arizona, contact the Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System at the following address or by calling the numbers below.
Bureau of EMS & Trauma System
Certification Section
150 N. 18th Ave., Suite 540
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone:
(602) 364-3150
(800) 200-8523
Fax:
(602) 364-3568