Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation (Coursera)

Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation (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) assess a basic medical patient
2) describe general pharmacologic principles and the skills associated with medication administration,
3) explain airway physiology, the assessment of the airway and available interventions for airway management,
4) identify, assess and formulate a plan to stabilize a patient with a respiratory emergency for transport, and
5) identify, assess and formulate a plan to stabilize a patient with a cardiovascular emergency for transport.
6) describe the most common neurologic and endocrine emergencies and what you can do for them as an EMT.

Course 2 of 6 in the Become an EMT Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Pharmacology Basics
At the end of this module, you will be able to: 1) apply a systematic approach of patient assessment specifically to a patient with a medical complaint, 2) explain the basic principles of pharmacology including forms of medications, routes of medication administration, and to define the basic components of a drug profile and, 3) organize the appropriate steps when administering any medication including the five rights, premedication evaluation and post administration evaluation.

WEEK 2
Airway and Breathing
Assessment of and management of the airway is critical in patient care. This module is all about the airway. In this module you will 1) identify the most important anatomic and physiologic portions of the respiratory system, 2) distinguish between normal and abnormal in the setting of airway and breathing 3) learn how and when to use the various tools you will have as an EMT to stabilize or improve the respiratory conditions in diverse patients.

WEEK 3
Respiratory Emergencies
In this module, we will dig a little deeper into the respiratory system now that you have an overview of how this system works and its importance. By the end of this module you will 1) start to classify types of symptoms and triage them on scene 2) distinguish between an upper and lower airway issues 3) Develop the framework to assess acute and chronic respiratory diseases. 4) Work through the primary and secondary surveys you will perform when faced with a patient with many different respiratory complaints.

WEEK 4
Cardiovascular Emergencies
In this module we cover a system closely related to the respiratory system- the cardiovascular system. In this module you will learn 1) the intricacies of the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system. 2) a few of the most common diseases that affect the cardiovascular system 3) how to approach and assess patients with cardiac complaints with an emphasis on patients with possible acute coronary syndromes 4) the differences in treatment for various cardiac complaints.

WEEK 5
Neurological Emergencies
This module encompasses the neurological and endocrine systems. While these may not initially sound related, in this module you will learn how to assess patients with altered mental status and primary neurological complaints. To get to that point, you will: 1) learn the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system and the endocrine system. 2) learn about specific diseases or symptoms of diseases that affect the brain and mental status of a patient. 3) apply this background knowledge to the completing the primary and secondary assessments of a patients with stroke like symptoms, headaches, seizures and with altered mental status.

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

Related Courses

Understanding Prostate Cancer (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Understanding Prostate Cancer (Coursera)

Welcome to Understanding Prostate Cancer. My name is Ken Pienta, Professor of Urology and Oncology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. I have been studying prostate cancer and treating patients with prostate cancer for over 25 years. I've put together this course in order to introduce you to the essentials of prostate cancer. This Understanding Prostate Cancer Course should be helpful to anyone who wants to develop a deeper understanding of prostate cancer biology and treatment. It should be useful to students who are interested in a deeper understanding of the science of cancer.

Jun 1st 2026
3 Weeks
Writing in the Sciences (Coursera) Coursera
Stanford University

Writing in the Sciences (Coursera)

This course teaches scientists to become more effective writers, using practical examples and exercises. Topics include: principles of good writing, tricks for writing faster and with less anxiety, the format of a scientific manuscript, peer review, grant writing, ethical issues in scientific publication, and writing for general audiences.

Jun 1st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Science of Exercise (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado Boulder

Science of Exercise (Coursera)

Learners who complete Science of Exercise will have an improved physiological understanding of how your body responds to exercise, and will be able to identify behaviors, choices, and environments that impact your health and training. You will explore a number of significant adjustments required by your body in order to properly respond to the physical stress of exercise, including changes in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism, nutritional considerations, causes of muscle soreness & fatigue, and the effectiveness and dangers of performance enhancing drugs.

Jun 1st 2026
4 Weeks
Ebola : Vaincre ensemble ! (Coursera) Coursera
University of Geneva

Ebola : Vaincre ensemble ! (Coursera)

Il s’agit d’un MOOC sur la crise internationale sur Ebola partie d’Afrique de l’Ouest en 2014 ; d’une durée de 5 semaines, où interviendront plus de 30 professeurs des universités, chercheurs, responsables politiques, autorités sanitaires nationales et internationales, membres d’ONGs, et autres acteurs d’Europe et d’Afrique sur plus de 60 séquences vidéos. Les thèmes abordés se dérouleront selon une séquence hebdomadaire décrite ci-dessous (section « plan du cours »).

Jun 1st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Measuring the Success of a Patient Safety or Quality Improvement Project (Patient Safety VI) (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Measuring the Success of a Patient Safety or Quality Improvement Project (Patient Safety VI) (Coursera)

How will you know if your patient safety and quality project is meeting its objectives? Peter Drucker once said “What gets measured, gets managed.” In this course, students will learn why measurement is critical to quality improvement work. Equally important, they will learn which data sources provide the most meaningful information and tools for how and where to locate them. Finally, students will learn how to interpret data from their patient safety and quality projects to guide and modify them during implementation to maximize their chances of making a difference for patients.

Jun 1st 2026
4 Weeks
Ebola: Essential knowledge for health professionals (Coursera) Coursera
University of Amsterdam,Universiteit Utrecht

Ebola: Essential knowledge for health professionals (Coursera)

March 2014 marked the starting point of the largest outbreak of Ebola virus disease in history. Although the disease seems to be on a decrease, we are not there yet and new outbreaks will surely emerge. New efforts to combat the outbreak are necessary. This is why we developed this online course about Ebola, targeted at health professionals across the world. In this course you will cover the fundamental knowledge any health professional should have with expected or confirmed cases or a general interest in the Ebola disease.

Jun 1st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Synapses, Neurons and Brains (Coursera) Coursera
Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Synapses, Neurons and Brains (Coursera)

These are very unique times for brain research. The aperitif for the course will thus highlight the present “brain-excitements” worldwide. You will then become intimately acquainted with the operational principles of neuronal “life-ware” (synapses, neurons and the networks that they form) and consequently, on how neurons behave as computational microchips and how they plastically and constantly change - a process that underlies learning and memory.

Jun 1st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Guided Imagery (Coursera) Coursera
University of Minnesota

Guided Imagery (Coursera)

In this course, you will learn how you can use imagery and imagery interventions to help with symptom management and healing, as well as to enhance overall health and wellbeing. You will experience a variety of imagery interventions and evaluate how they might be helpful in providing relief or enhancing quality of life.

Jun 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Herbal Medicine (Coursera) Coursera
University of Minnesota

Herbal Medicine (Coursera)

There is strong demand for alternatives to pharmaceuticals for a variety of common illnesses due to concerns of safety, efficacy, and a desire for more “natural” products. Despite this growing interest, “conventional” healthcare providers may have little to no knowledge about herbal medicines, which is further compounded by the sometimes misleading information in the media and on the internet. This course provides the necessary background for providers to begin to incorporate herbal medicines into their practice, particularly in regards to their therapeutic properties, efficacy (or lack thereof), and safety concerns, including quality control and potential adverse effects.

Jun 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks