NREMT Overview

Welcome to the NREMT Information Page

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.

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE NREMT EXAMS FOR EMR, AEMT, AND PARAMEDIC LEVELS

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:

CAT or computer adaptive testing is a state-of-the-art way to certify individuals in a variety of different fields. The NREMT states that CAT “is the most accurate and fair evaluation technology available.”
CAT will reportedly adapt to each students ability level.
Unlike most exams, there aren’t a correct number of questions the student needs to get correct in order to pass the NREMT test. Instead, the CAT determines whether or not you’re competent based off the way you answer each question. The NREMT has weighted characteristics of their questions answers.
The NREMT has already determined what competency look like to them based off the way they develop their questions answers. The results of your exam are “measured against a predetermined competency level (NREMT.org, 2015).
According to the NREMT there are three reasons why your exam will end:
- “Your ability has been accurately determined”
- “You have received the maximum number of items”
- “You have run out of time”

COGNITIVE EXAM INFORMATION FOR THE NREMT EMR (NREMR) WRITTEN TEST

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:

Airway, Respiration and Ventilation
Cardiology & Resuscitation
Trauma
General Medical
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Operations

COGNITIVE EXAM INFORMATION FOR THE NREMT EMT WRITTEN 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:

Airway, Respiration and Ventilation
Cardiology & Resuscitation
Trauma
General Medical
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Operations

COGNITIVE EXAM INFORMATION FOR THE NREMT AEMT (NRAEMT) WRITTEN TEST

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
Cardiology & Resuscitation
Trauma
General Medical
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Operations

COGNITIVE EXAM INFORMATION FOR THE NREMT PARAMEDIC (NRP) WRITTEN TEST

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:

Airway, Respiration and Ventilation
Cardiology & Resuscitation
Trauma
General Medical
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Operations

Frequently Asked Questions

WHICH EXAMS ARE CAT EXAMS AND WHICH ARE LINEAR EXAMS?

Not all tests are CAT exams in the NREMT
The NREMR, NREMT, and NRP exams are all CAT or computer adaptive tests
The NRAEMT exams are linear computer based tests

WHAT DOES A LINEAR EXAM DO THAT A CAT EXAM DOESN’T?

Within a linear exam you are given more freedoms than a CAT exam. For example, the NREMT notes that students can “skip questions, mark questions for review, and go back and change their answers provided time has not expired.”

WHERE DOES THE NREMT GET THEIR CONTENT?

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.

WHO DISTRIBUTES THE NREMT TEST?

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.

WHAT INFORMATION DOES THE NREMT RECOMMEND I STUDY FROM TO PREPARE FOR MY EXAM?

Textbooks
Current AHA Guidelines for CPS and ECC (Emergency Cardiovascular Care)

HOW WILL I KNOW IF I AM READY FOR THE NREMT EXAM?

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.

HOW DO STUDENTS FEEL AFTER THEY HAVE TAKEN THEIR NRP, NRAEMT, AND NREMT EXAMS?

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:

The 5 Most Essential NREMT Study Tips Cliff Notes

1. ALWAYS CHOOSE THE MOST CORRECT ANSWER

This means that as you are working through the four multiple choice answers on a question, you must choose the answer that comes first on the NREMT skill sheets. The answer that comes first on the skill sheet is ALWAYS the most correct answer.

Do your best to leave your emotions out of the selection process. You cannot be thinking about what you would do on scene when answering these questions. Trust us, we know how silly this is. At the same time, we also know that to become an EMS professional we have to get you through this exam. That’s where EMTprep.com comes in.

2. KNOW YOUR PRACTICAL SKILL SHEETS INSIDE AND OUT

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):

EMR: Click HERE

EMT: Click HERE

AEMT and Paramedic: Click HERE

3. KNOW YOUR LIMITS AND GIVE YOUR BRAIN A BREAK

Study in spurts. Don’t cram! Cramming is never a good plan, especially for the NREMT exam. When you have the amount of material you’re responsible for knowing come test day, cramming does you no favors if your goal is to pass this test. I know we’re preaching to the choir, but you’re also doing your future patients no favors by not thoroughly studying the material.

Give yourself at least a 12-hour study break prior to the exam. That means, DON’T STUDY THE DAY OF THE TEST!

4. GET A FULL NIGHT’S REST THE TWO NIGHTS BEFORE YOUR TEST

Playing off tip #3, give your brain a break by getting enough sleep. If we want our brain to perform at its best when we need it to, we have to give it the proper down time.

That’s the extent of what we will share with you about the importance of sleep. If that is a new concept, go back and read that chapter in your textbook.

5. EAT A BALANCED MEAL THE DAY OF YOUR EXAM

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.