Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP) Bridging

Is this program right for you?

If you are an experienced ACP level paramedic trained in another province of Canada or internationally and are looking to meet clinical practice guidelines set by the Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Branch (EMALB) in BC these courses are for you.

The current demand for paramedics has created opportunities for out of province educated and experienced paramedics to work in BC.

These courses have been created to streamline and standardize the requirements for out of province educated ACP applicants as they work through the process of obtaining a BC license to practice.

Who should take this program?

These two courses are designed for experienced paramedics educated outside of BC who are licensed and currently practicing within their region and are looking to practice within BC. These courses are designed to address identified gaps in licensing requirements as well as provide knowledge and simulated practice to the ACP level in BC to help prepare students moving into employment.

While these courses are designed to assist in meeting the requirements for a license in BC we cannot guarantee that you will meet all requirements for licensing. See the EMALB website for full requirements: Out-of-Province Applicants - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)

What will you learn?

Program Themes

Completion of both courses will prepare students to transition to clinical practice in British Columbia.

PARA-3210 Introduction to British Columbia ACP Clinical Practice

This online course will cover the following topics:

• Introduction to the Canadian health care system with emphasis on BC Emergency Health Services

• Introduction to the ACP role

• Introduction to paramedic regulation in BC

• Introduction to ACP clinical practice

PARA-3220 Review of British Columbia ACP Clinical Practice

This face-to-face course will cover the practical skills and entry to practice standards outlined in Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board schedules to ensure the readiness of transition to clinical practice in British Columbia.

• Transcutaneous pacing

• Cardioversion

• Monitor chest tubes

• Oral and nasal gastric tube insertion

• Percutaneous cricothyroidotomy

• Surgical cricothyroidotomy

• Airway devices requiring visualization of vocal cords and introduced endotracheally

• Administration of medication via endotracheal, intranasal and intraosseous routes

• Intraosseous cannulation

• Mechanical ventilation indications and equipment

• Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and clinical indications and administration of medications

• Continuous positive airway pressure devices

• Emerging practice standards of competency

Program Details

Program Format

PARA-3210: Introduction to British Columbia ACP Clinical Practice is a 14-hour completely online self-paced course and must be completed before PARA-3220.

PARA-3220: Review of British Columbia ACP Clinical Practice is a 5-day course delivered in the classroom at JIBC’s New Westminster Campus and is comprised of simulations and labs.