What was wrong with the National Standard Curricula (NSC)?
The NSC have been essential to the development of EMS education programs since its inception. However, community reliance on the NSC has decreased education program flexibility, limited creativity, and impaired development of alternative delivery methods. Because each curriculum was developed independently of the others and by different contractors using different processes, content and instructional methodologies were inconsistent among the levels, making it difficult for one level to bridge to the next higher level. In addition, studies suggest that there may be detrimental effects of standardized curricula because they lack the ability to respond to practice changes quickly. The new Education Standards were created through a single process with many opportunities for public input. Unlike the NSC, they are broad, identify the necessary depth and breadth of content, and can be easily modified. We anticipate this approach will enhance the transition of one provider level to another whi
