We’ve worked with Bill Brown, the former Executive Director of the NREMT, on both our EMT PASS and AEMT PASS apps. His knowledge and experience with the NREMT exam have been invaluable to us as a test prep company. While working with Bill, we had quite a bit of time not only to chat with him about exam preparation but also to see the work he did in creating original items for the app. It was an eye-opener!
Many people see the questions in our apps and are surprised because the answers don’t reflect exactly what they were taught in class or what’s in their protocols. And that’s exactly the strength of the app: it’s a true registry-like experience—but you don’t have to wait to get to the test center and sit down in front of the computer to have it.
Here are 10 tips Bill shared with us while we were working closely together on the apps. To learn more about each one, be sure to listen to our YouTube video 10 Things I Learned About the NREMT Exam from EMT PASS!
- Not all patients get oxygen. Patients who do get oxygen probably get a cannula unless their condition is really bad.
- You do need to understand pathophysiology.
- Many times the “right” answer isn’t one of the options. You have to choose the best answer.
- My protocols and what is taught in class may be slightly different from what is asked on the NREMT.
- You need to think less rigidly—less black and white. The exam is about critical thinking.
- Each question is separate from the next. You must evaluate each one carefully.
- There are no set rules such as “always choose airway” or “if in doubt, give oxygen.”
- It’s crucial to differentiate between respiratory distress and respiratory failure.
- You must study. I repeat: You must study.
- Time is not your enemy. You have enough time to read carefully and think about the best answer for each question.
