Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness (Coursera)

Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness (Coursera)

In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:
(1) Identify the signs and symptoms associated with a patient in shock, to describe the major categories of shock, to assess a patient with signs of shock and formulate a plan for treatment to stabilize the patient for transport,
(2) Identify a patient in cardiac arrest and to describe the components of high performance CPR including placement of an AED, components of quality chest compressions, and options for oxygenation,
(3) Identify a patient with under the influence of a drug of abuse or a toxicologic ingestion, assess a patient with a potential or known ingestion, and to formulate a plan for treatment and stabilization for transport including that of a violent patient,
(4) Identify the symptoms associated with the most common environmental emergencies including hypothermia, hyperthermia, lightning strike and drowning, to assess patients with an environmental emergency and to describe initial treatment and stabilization for transportation and
(5) Understanding your patient's story as well as to think critically about the complaint and symptoms associated with the gastrointestinal track, renal system, and the reproductive system.

Course 3 of 6 in the Become an EMT Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Cardiac Arrest and Shock
In this module you will be learning about states of shock and the principles of resuscitation. Unlike our common use of the word shock referring to a mental state of feeling overwhelmed or alarmed, shock is a state of crisis within the body, involving one or more of the organ systems. If left uncorrected, shock can lead to death. The other topic, resuscitation, will cover the principles of treating and reversing shock, and most importantly, the treatment of cardiac arrest. We will discuss the latest scientific research and best practices of cardiac arrest resuscitation.

WEEK 2
Toxicology and Substance Abuse
In this module we are going to learn about poisonings, or toxicologic ingestions. There is a whole field of medicine dedicated to the study of how the thing we ingestion, usually accidentally or in an attempt of self-harm, impact our bodies. This field is called toxicology. A poison is any substance that impairs health or causes death. A toxin is a drug or substance that is poisonous to a human, and will cause an adverse event, maybe even death. An antidote is a substance that will neutralize the effect of the poison or toxin. With an understanding of the basic terminology, we can further explore the most common poisons you will encounter in the field, how they affect the body, and how we treat these patients.

WEEK 3
Not All Who Wander Are Tox
In this module you will learn how environmental emergencies are caused when the body’s physiological functions are disrupted by the patient’s natural surroundings. Many of the body’s functions only function properly at a normal temperature, so a change in the body’s temperature can cause them to fail. Some examples of environmental emergencies include cold or hot temperature changes, illness and injuries caused by other animals, high altitude illnesses and injuries or illness related to water such as drowning.

WEEK 4
Blood and Guts
In this module we will capture topics an EMT might come across that don’t fit into the sections so far. The important “other” things that can cause patients problems. The role of an EMT is as an advocate for your patient to provide the best care possible. Part of that is taking the time to understand your patient’s story as well as to think critically about the complaint especially if difficult to diagnose. Also, we will focus of problems in the abdomen involving the gastrointestinal track, renal system and reproductive system.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Everyday Chinese Medicine 2 (Coursera) Coursera
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Everyday Chinese Medicine 2 (Coursera)

This course, Everyday Chinese Medicine II offered by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, aims to show to the public, as well as the healthcare professionals about the basic principles of Chinese medicine. Our primary goal is to empower healthcare choices by promoting awareness and practical application on Chinese medicine diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, and to facilitate interprofessional education between Chinese and conventional clinicians.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Hacking Exercise For Health. The surprising new science of fitness. (Coursera) Coursera
McMaster University

Hacking Exercise For Health. The surprising new science of fitness. (Coursera)

Renowned exercise physiologists Martin Gibala and Stuart Phillips of McMaster University teach the surprising new science of cardio fitness and strength-building—and then provide you with hacks to get fit and strong (and healthy!) in less time than you ever thought possible. What’s the right mix of exercise between cardio and strength? How do you know if you’re working out hard enough? What’s better, heavy or light weights? These questions and more are addressed through a course designed to provide even the most inexperienced of exercisers the tools you need to design time-efficient workouts that can be done virtually anywhere, from your own home to a city park or even at your workplace.

Nov 2nd 2026
4 Weeks
Global Health Policy (Coursera) Coursera
The University of Tokyo

Global Health Policy (Coursera)

In this course, learners will become familiar with principles and theories of global health problems, and major challenges and controversies in improving global population health as well as practical applications of quantitative methods to analyze and interpret issues and challenges for policy. Topics will include health and foreign policy, health governance, acute disease surveillance, non-communicable diseases, burden of disease, universal health coverage, health systems strengthening, health financing, and human resources for health and ageing.

Nov 2nd 2026
4 Weeks
Introduction to Systems Biology (Coursera) Coursera
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Introduction to Systems Biology (Coursera)

This course will introduce the student to contemporary Systems Biology focused on mammalian cells, their constituents and their functions. Biology is moving from molecular to modular. As our knowledge of our genome and gene expression deepens and we develop lists of molecules (proteins, lipids, ions) involved in cellular processes, we need to understand how these molecules interact with each other to form modules that act as discrete functional systems.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Air Pollution – a Global Threat to our Health (Coursera) Coursera
University of Copenhagen

Air Pollution – a Global Threat to our Health (Coursera)

We all have to breathe to live. But the air we breathe is polluted both outdoors and indoors. Each year, this pollution costs 7 million lives across the globe – and a lot of suffering. 1 in 8 deaths is due to air pollution. This course will provide you with an introduction to the most recent research in the field of health effects of air pollution as well as a broader understanding of sources and spread of air pollution and what we should do about it.

Nov 2nd 2026
3 Weeks
Cosmetologia em prol do envelhecimento com saúde e beleza (Coursera) Coursera
Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP

Cosmetologia em prol do envelhecimento com saúde e beleza (Coursera)

Esse curso foi planejado com muito cuidado e dedicação visando trazer conhecimentos clássicos e atuais sobre o processo de envelhecimento, produtos cosméticos e as múltiplas vias de atuação de substancias ativas aplicadas em produtos para prevenção e atenuação dos sinais de envelhecimento da pele.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Global Sodium Reduction Strategies (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Global Sodium Reduction Strategies (Coursera)

This course will help guide policy makers, advocates, and program managers as they design, plan, and implement sodium reduction interventions to protect public health. We invite you to see what interventions have been proven at scale, what shows promise, and what lessons have been learned along the way from the implementation of sodium reduction strategies all around the globe.

Nov 2nd 2026
3 Weeks
Community Awareness Course: Sexuality and Disability (Coursera) Coursera
University of Minnesota

Community Awareness Course: Sexuality and Disability (Coursera)

This community awareness course from the University of Minnesota Program on Human Sexuality will provide you with a solid introduction to human sexuality for those living with disabilities. Often there are assumptions that the disabled or differently abled people are not sexual, do not have sexual needs, or cannot be involved sexually. In this professionally produced one-hour course, you'll learn about the basics of disabilities and human sexuality.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Anatomy of the Abdomen and Pelvis; a journey from basis to clinic. (Coursera) Coursera
Leiden University,Leiden University Medical Center

Anatomy of the Abdomen and Pelvis; a journey from basis to clinic. (Coursera)

In this anatomy course you will explore the organs involved in our food digestion and discover the common causes of abdominal and pelvic pain. The latest graphics and animations will help you to find new insights and understanding of this part of the body, that has been the focus of anatomical research for centuries and presently arouses renewed scientific interest. You will explore the 3D anatomy of the organs from a basic level, providing thorough anatomical understanding, to its advanced application in surgical procedures.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks