EMT-I 85 Exam

The Emergency Medical Technician, or EMT, is a highly trained emergency respondent who provides medical services to injured or ill people. EMTs are responsible for providing patients with basic life support services.

EMTs are trained to use medical skills in a fast-paced environment. When an EMT responds to an emergency situation they are expected to assess a patient’s condition while maintaining the patient’s airway, breathing, and circulation. The primary tools used by EMTs include CPR and defibrillators.

EMTs with an EMT-I 85 certification are able to utilize tools and procedures that non-certified EMTs cannot. EMT-I 85 certified EMTs, in addition to the basic tools, are allowed to use IV therapy, multi-lumen airway devices and, in some cases, endotracheal intubation. EMT-I 85 personnel are restricted to the same medications as those used by EMT-B personnel. These medications include oxygen, oral glucose, activated charcoal, Epi-Pens, nitroglycerin, D5W and D50, and MDIs. Each state regulates the exact medications that can be administered by various levels of EMTs.

In order to take the EMT-I 85 Exam, candidates must be at least 18 years old, hold National Registration in EMT-Basic, have successfully completed an EMT-I 85 educational program within the past two years, and hold current CPR certification.

The EMT-I 85 Exam has two parts: cognitive and practical. The cognitive part of the exam is a computer-based test that can adapt to each candidate’s skill level. For example, when a candidate answers a question correctly, the next question will be a more challenging one. This allows each candidate to take a test that is uniquely tailored to their individual experience. Candidates may take the cognitive part of the exam up to three times. If additional attempts are required, candidates will need to complete 36 hours of remedial training. The cognitive test contains between 85 and 135 questions that can take up to two hours and fifteen minutes to complete. Test questions are divided between the following topics: airway and breathing, cardiology, trauma, medical, obstetrics and pediatrics, and operations.

The practical part of the exam presents four scenarios to which the EMT must respond. This portion of the test assesses the candidate’s hands-on ability to care for patients. The skill areas that are tested include patient assessment and management, ventilatory management, IV therapy, and basic skills. If a candidate fails two or less skills, they may have two retest opportunities. Retesting is only necessary for the particular skill areas the candidate failed. A candidate who fails a second retest is considered to have failed the entire practical examination and must complete remedial training before testing again.