First, congratulations. You’re here because you’re nearing the end of your classroom time and you’re getting prepared to take the NREMT test or your state certification exam. Currently, there are 46 states that have adopted the NREMT exam for one or more of their certification exams (NREMT.org, 2015). However, if you’ve landed at EMTprep.com because you’re studying for a state certification test, rest assured our online test preparation product will help you ace your test. We will also stand by our 100% Pass Guarantee for all customers regardless of whether they’re preparing for the NREMT test or state certification exams.
With over 1,000,000 EMS professionals operating in some form or fashion in the U.S.A alone, we’re excited to help you achieve your career goals. The question still remains, how do I prepare for the NREMT exam? There are a lot of myths and misnomers surrounding all aspects of the NREMT. We hope that this page will serve as a resource to help squash some of those rumors and instead empower you to help you ace your NREMT exam or state certification test.
One of the most intimidating facts about the NREMT test is the fact that it is computer based. Around the mid 2000’s the NREMT switched from a linear pencil and paper based test to a computer-based exam. Through Person-Vue testing centers, the NREMT has been delivering hundreds of thousands of exams. The NREMT exam is now a CAT exam. CAT stands for Computer Adaptive Test. This means that as you progress through the exam, the questions will progressively become more difficult until you have proven to the computer that you’ve mastered any certain portion of the test.
You can locate an exam HERE
The NREMT will test you mainly on adult populations, 85% of the test will cover adult and geriatric patient care related content. 15% of the NREMT EMR exam will focus on pediatric patient care related content.
What happens if you fail the test? The NREMT gives you three attempts to pass your EMR exam. After an unsuccessful attempt, you will receive an email containing feedback on your failing score. You have to wait 15 days to retest after your last examination before you can reschedule your next test.
Lets discuss some specifics about the test format itself:
According to the NREMT, your test will range from 80-110 questions and you have a max time of 1 hour and 45 minutes. Don’t let the max time scare you. An extremely small number of people get close to the time limit. Also, think of this, why would the NREMT not give you enough time? They know through a lot of data extrapolation how much time is enough time to take the EMR NREMT test.
What can you expect to be tested on? Straight from the NREMT website:
The NREMT will test you mainly on adult populations, 85% of the test will cover adult and geriatric patient care related content. 15% of the NREMT EMR exam will focus on pediatric patient care related content.
What happens if you fail the test? The NREMT gives you three attempts to pass your EMR exam. After an unsuccessful attempt, you will receive an email containing feedback on your failing score. You have to wait 15 days to retest after your last examination before you can reschedule your next test.
The NREMT says your test will range from 70-120 questions and you have a max time of 1 hour to complete the exam. Like we mentioned before, don’t worry about not having enough time to complete the test. A very small number of people get close to the time limit.
These are the NREMT focus areas you’ll be tested on:
Unlike other EMS levels, the AEMT has a set number of questions. 135 total to be exact. You are given a maximum amount of time of 2 hours and 15 minutes.
These are the NREMT focus areas you’ll be tested on: • Airway, Respiration and Ventilation
The NRP test will range from 80 to 150 questions. We have had students report tests that ended after as little as 70 questions, but we have no way of verifying that. You have a maximum amount of time of 2 hours and 30 minutes to finish the exam. Like we’ve mentioned before, don’t worry about the time limit. You will have plenty of time to take your test.
These are the NREMT focus areas you’ll be tested on:
Great question! The NREMT examinations have content that has been derived from the National EMS Educational Standards. This is very important because the NREMT does not derive their questions from any local or state agency. Remember this everyone. Your protocols are not necessarily reflective of the NREMT’s content. We can guarantee you that the NREMT did not derive their questions from your local or state protocols. It says so right on their website.
Pearson-Vue is the company that provides testing locations all over the country. You can visit their website by clicking HERE to get some more information from them about their role with the NREMT test.
Unfortunately, there is no marker for determining when you are ready. But do a thorough self- assessment. How well did you do in class? What topics were difficult for you? Have you studied those areas of difficulty more than others? How much study time did you put in for the NREMT test, generally speaking?
Once you begin to ask yourself the hard questions, it should lead you to one of two places, 1. I have some more work to do or 2. I am ready to knock this thing out and begin my career.
Do what you can to avoid over-confidence or cockiness here. You are only shorting yourself if you don’t spend the amount of time that you need to prepare for this exam.
Remember, only you know how well prepared you are to answer any and all questions the NREMT could throw at you. Let that motivate you to be prepared to handle whatever is thrown your way on test day.
In our experience we have found that students generally feel like the NREMT exam went poorly! You can thank the powers at be for that but rather than dwell on that lets focus on what we do know.
Most students who come to us after the exam state they feel like they answered the questions correctly but that there were many examples of when they felt the NREMT exam questions were “tricky” or “poorly worded” or “had multiple correct answers.” This all comes back to one thing, knowing the material inside and out AND studying those NREMT skill sheets.
If you take the time to study every step of those NREMT skill sheets, your class notes, and your textbook, you are going to do just fine!
We have put together a video on the Top 5 Most Essential NREMT Study Tips. You can watch it HERE, or scroll down to read the cliff notes version:
This plays off tip #1 but think of it this way; the NREMT exam has provided you with a step-by- step guide with how to answer their questions. If you haven’t done so already, visit their website and download all of the skill sheets you need to have memorized for your respective exam (current as of January 2015):
Simply put, your brain needs the nutrients it requires for optimal performance. Don’t stuff yourself but don’t stop at a cup of coffee.