EMS recertification in Arkansas

Arkansas EMS providers are licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health Section of EMS, and renewal of your NREMT certification is required before the state will renew your license. Licenses run on a two-year cycle that matches your NREMT expiration, and renewals are completed online in the ADH Public Portal. Continuing education follows the NREMT NCCP model, but Arkansas prescribes the topics for the state component: EMR – 8 national hours, 4 Arkansas-specific hours (Arkansas Trauma System 2, Ethics and Professionalism 2), and 4 individual hours; EMT – 20 national hours, 10 Arkansas-specific hours (Arkansas Trauma System 2, Pediatrics 2, Stroke 2, Cardiology 2, Documentation 1, Ethics and Professionalism 1), and 10 individual hours; AEMT – 25 national hours, 12.5 Arkansas-specific hours (Arkansas Trauma System 2, Pediatrics 2.5, Stroke 2, Cardiology 2, Documentation 2, Ethics and Professionalism 2), and 12.5 individual hours; Paramedic – 30 national hours, 15 Arkansas-specific hours (Arkansas Trauma System 2, Pediatrics 3, Stroke 4, Cardiology 2, Documentation 2, Ethics and Professionalism 2), and 15 individual hours.

Renewal also requires a current CPR certification, plus ACLS for paramedics, that follows American Heart Association guidelines and includes a hands-on skills component; online-only certifications are not accepted. Paramedics need their medical director's electronic signature verifying competency in advanced skills, and providers employed by a licensed service must be verified by the service and its medical director. Providers who have never held NREMT certification must upload documentation of all required hours before their license can be renewed.