Critical Care Transport, N.C.

What is Critical Care Transport?

Critical Care Transport (CCT) is a hospital-based, interfacility transport program designed to meet the needs of critically ill patients during transit from one medical facility to another. These transports most often occur in the context of transferring a patient with a life-threatening condition from an Intensive Care Unit at one facility to another facility for advanced treatment or surgery. To meet the needs of these critically ill patients, CCT Professionals must provide intensive care and monitoring that requires constant treatment with drugs and equipment to sustain life. Therefore, the specialized body of CCT knowledge and the scope of practice of the CCT Professional are beyond the traditional paramedic training level.

Specialty Care Transports take place by ground in uniquely equipped ambulances or by air in helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. While most critical care transports occur in the context of interfacility transfers, critical care professionals may also be utilized in the prehospital setting where their knowledge and/or skills may benefit a particular patient or within a health care facility when a patient is moved from one location to another.

Program Overview

This program will prepare students to provide intensive care unit-level care during transport to a wide variety of critically ill patients. It will bring together paramedics and other health care professionals to bridge prehospital and hospital care.

The program will provide an understanding of the highest level of care provided to critical patients during transport. A broad base of emergency and critical care physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and treatment modalities comprises the most substantial portion of the program. Specific skills, including advanced airway management; use of mechanical ventilators; invasive and noninvasive hemodynamic and pressure monitoring; cardiac assist devices; administration of blood and blood products; interpretation of laboratory and diagnostic studies; initiation and titration of multiple intravenous infusions; and performance of invasive procedures, such as chest tube and central line insertion, are an integral part of the curriculum.

The curriculum will adequately prepare students to successfully pass the Board for Critical Care Transport Paramedic Certification (BCCTPC) certification exam for Critical Care Paramedic (CCP-C) and/or Flight Paramedic (FP-C). In addition to preparing students to practice in the critical care environment, this course will provide students credentialing in the following:

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support for the Experience Provider (ACLS-EP)
• International Trauma Life Support (ITLS)
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)

Want to Learn More? Register for an Information Session
Interested in Applying? CCT Program Packet
What about the schedule? View Schedule

This is a limited access program.

What if I do not want to work in critical care?

This program will benefit providers in many disciplines. The knowledge gained through the expanded curriculum can be directly applied to patient care in all aspects of medicine. It can be used for career development and career advancement. Students will also receive continuing education units which can be used toward recertification of critical care certificates as well as other medical licenses.

CCT students are often paramedics but may include registered nurses, respiratory therapists, physicians, perfusionists, and other health care professionals.