VA EMS Continuing Education Tracker
for Palm/HandyShopper
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Table of Contents
Features
- Comprehensive tracking of Virginia EMS Continuing Education credits.
- Supports all Virginia-recognized EMS certification levels.
- Allows you to track credits at your end, before they reach Richmond.
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Background
I developed this application database (appdb) for the sake of keeping track of which CE classes I've completed -- even before
credit is registered in the official database at the Virginia Office of EMS. Figuring out which CEs one needs is easy with
this appdb. Deciphering the state's CE printout is not so easy, although the state deserves credit for improving those
printouts in recent years.
(Editorial aside: Virginia's EMS providers would be better off if the state were to require instructors to issue
standardized receipts to students at class completion time. Currently, if an instructor fails to submit a class roster, or
submits an erroneous roster, students are left without any evidence of their attendance.)
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Prerequisites
HandyShopper must already be installed
and you must have 10K of memory available.
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Limitations
This appdb does not distinguish between Category 2 and Category 3 credits. Both are represented as Priority 2 items in
this appdb. Limits on Category 3 credits vary according to certification level. It's up to you to track your
compliance with Category 3 limits. Most providers do not pursue Category 3 credits, and will not be bothered by this appdb
limitation.
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Installation
From the Internet
Simply download the HS2_VA_EMS_CE_(kal).PDB file and use the Install tool and the HotSync manager to install it to your Palm
OS device, the way you would load any other PRC or PDB file. If you need help, check your Palm OS device's user's guide.
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By beaming
This appdb can be shared by beaming it from Palm to Palm.
To beam the appdb:
Turn on the sending Palm Pilot.
Launch HandyShopper.
Tap the Menu silk-screen button.
On the top line, tap "DB".
On the drop-down list, tap "Beam database...".
Select the VA EMS CE database and tap the Beam button.
Proceed as usual for beaming any Palm info.
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Running the program
Launch HandyShopper.
If the top line does not already show "VA EMS CE (kal)", tap the Database Chooser icon (the down-arrow to the right of the database name on the top line of the screen) and choose
"VA EMS CE (kal)" from the drop-down list.
(Optional recommended step)
Rename the database to suit your taste. Renaming a HandyShopper database is beyond the scope of this guide, but the
menu option is shown below. As
provided, the database name is very unlikely to conflict (and therefore overwrite) any of your other HandyShopper databases.
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Selecting your certification level
On the left side of the second line, tap the down-arrow to select your certification level. Note that certification
levels are implemented as HandyShopper "stores".
 
Example of switching from the EMT-Paramedic list to the EMT-Basic
list.
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Recording previously-completed classes
Have your most recent VA OEMS Technician Continuing Education report (hardcopy or online
version) handy.
Tap the checkboxes next to each line item that you have completed. NOTE that there is one line item per hour of
credit. If you have earned more than one hour for a topic, check off more than one line item for that topic.
On the bottom line, tap "All". Scroll the list, if necessary, so that you can view the checked-off line items.
For each checked-off line item:
On the right-hand side, tap the value in the Date column. It should show today's date, but you want to change it to
the date you actually took the class. In the drop-down list, select "Choose date...".
Select the date (from the CE report) that you completed the corresponding class.
(Optional recommended step)
CE Category 2 and 3 credits are represented as Priority 2 "(any approved topic)" items in the VA EMS CE
database. This is not very descriptive. To associate a specific topic with each of these items:
Tap the item.
On the bottom line, tap the Details button.
On the bottom line, tap the Note button. Enter the description (from the CE report) of the class for which this credit applies.
If you remember the instructor's name and the class venue, you can enter that, too.
Tap the Done button. An "attached note" icon will appear to the right of the item. You can tap it to
access the note quickly.
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Viewing which CEUs you need
Launch HandyShopper, select the VA EMS CE
database, and select your certification level. Make sure the bottom line shows the word "Need" in white
letters on a black background. Items in the list are CEUs that you need. When the list contains no items, you're
done and you can file for your renewal certificate!
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Recording newly-completed classes
Turn on your Palm Pilot, launch HandyShopper,
select the VA EMS CE database, and select your certification level.
(Optional recommended step)
For each item that you want to mark as completed:
Tap the item.
On the bottom line, tap the Details button.
On the bottom line, tap the Note button. Enter descriptive information, such as your instructor's name and the class
venue.
Tap the Done button. An "attached note" icon will appear to the right of the item. You can tap it to
access the note quickly.
Tap the checkbox next to each line item for which you just earned credit. NOTE that there is one line item per hour of credit. If you have earned more than one hour
for a topic, check off more than one line item for that topic.
Items that you check off in this manner will disappear from the "Need" view. You can access them if
necessary by tapping the word "All" on the bottom line.
In this case, the completion date is automatically recorded. You do not need to modify it.
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Resetting the database for a new recertification cycle
When you've received your renewed certification card and you're ready to begin a new cycle, you can reset
the appdb as follows:
Launch HandyShopper, select the VA EMS CE
database, and select your certification level.
Tap the silk-screen Menu button.
On the drop-down menu, tap "Checkout...".
Tap the OK button.
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Design decisions
Email me if you have concerns about these or other design decisions.
The VA EMS Continuing Education Tracker is implemented as a HandyShopper
application database (appdb).
Pro: You gain many powerful features and an excellent general-purpose shopping-list/checklist manager application,
all at no cost.
Con: You have to install a third-party application.
Each credit hour is implemented as a separate list item.
Pro: Allows you to associate different notes and completion dates with each distinct credit hour. Better
match for OEMS CE Report format.
Con: You may have to check-off and associate the same note and completion date with multiple list items.
An alternative would be to implement each Topic Area as a single list item, and to use the Quantity field to track hours
credited.
Pro: Fewer, more distinct list items.
Con: No application-managed way to associate distinct notes and completion dates with particular credit hours; Poorer
match for OEMS CE Report format. Human factor concerns.
Ordinal per-area credit hours are implemented as Aisle values.
Pro: This is an improvement over the OEMS CE Report format.
Con: Nontraditional use of the aisle attribute.
An alternative would be to indicate ordinal per-area credit hours as suffixes in the item descriptions, and not to use the
aisle attribute at all.
Pro: Makes each line item distinct in the absence of the aisle attribute.
Con: Poorer match for OEMS CE Report format.
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