NAEMT PHTLS Course in Reno
Prehospital Trauma Life Support for EMTs, paramedics, nurses, and other providers who care for trauma patients in the field. The global gold standard in prehospital trauma education, taught hands-on.
- 16-hour provider course
- Classroom or hybrid
- 4-year NAEMT card
- 16 CAPCE hours
Prehospital Trauma Life Support
Developed by NAEMT in cooperation with the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma and taught in more than 80 countries. Tenth edition.
Taught at an authorized NAEMT Training Center in RenoUpcoming PHTLS dates
Tap Register on any date to book online. Dates update live from our schedule.
Need PHTLS for your crew, department, or hospital?
Do not see a date that works? PHTLS also runs as a private class. Tell us your head count and the dates that work, and we will set up a class at our Reno classroom or at your station.
PHTLS classes meet at 255 W Moana Ln, Suite 200 in Reno, an easy drive for EMS and hospital providers from Sparks, Carson City, Fernley, Fallon, and Lake Tahoe.
About the PHTLS course
PHTLS is NAEMT's flagship trauma course and the leading continuing education program for prehospital emergency trauma care worldwide.
Prehospital Trauma Life Support is developed by NAEMT in cooperation with the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, which provides the medical direction and content oversight for the course. Its mission is to promote excellence in trauma patient management by every provider involved in prehospital care, and NAEMT reports that PHTLS courses improve the quality of trauma care and decrease mortality. The course is taught in more than 80 countries.
PHTLS treats the multi-system trauma patient as a unique entity with specific needs and builds the course around critical thinking rather than memorized protocols: with a solid knowledge base and a few key principles, you can make sound decisions about any trauma patient. The tenth edition pairs the PHTLS textbook with case studies, skills practice, and patient simulations, so you leave having assessed, packaged, and managed realistic trauma patients, not just read about them.
Want the official overview? NAEMT publishes the full PHTLS course description and format list.
PHTLS on naemt.orgPHTLS course formats
Every provider format leads to the same NAEMT PHTLS provider certificate and card. Tell us which fits your schedule when you register or request a date.
PHTLS provider course
The full 16-hour course, usually over two days: lectures, case studies, skill stations, and trauma patient simulations. Earns the NAEMT PHTLS provider card, valid 4 years, and 16 CAPCE hours.
See PHTLS datesPHTLS hybrid
Complete 8 hours of NAEMT's online PHTLS content at your own pace, then join us for 8 hours of hands-on skills and simulations in the classroom. Same card, half the time away from work.
Ask about hybrid PHTLSPHTLS refresher
An 8-hour course for providers who completed the 16-hour PHTLS course within the past 4 years. Bring your current PHTLS certificate or card. Earns a new certificate and 8 CAPCE hours.
Ask about the refresherWhat you'll learn in PHTLS
The course follows NAEMT's tenth edition PHTLS curriculum, from the physiology of trauma to the patients who break the rules.
Physiology of life and death
What trauma does to perfusion and oxygenation, and why minutes matter.
Scene assessment
Safety, situation, and the kinematics that tell you where the injuries are.
Trauma patient assessment
A fast, repeatable primary and secondary assessment that finds what will kill first.
Hemorrhage control
Direct pressure, wound packing, tourniquets, and junctional bleeding.
Airway
Positioning, basic and advanced airways, and the trauma airway decision.
Breathing, ventilation, and oxygenation
Chest injuries, ventilation strategy, and avoiding hypoxia and hypocapnia.
Circulation and shock
Recognizing shock early, fluids, and the lethal triad.
Special populations
Pediatric, geriatric, pregnant, and burn patients, and other special considerations.
Who should take PHTLS?
PHTLS is for every level of practitioner who cares for trauma patients before they reach the hospital.
- EMTs, advanced EMTs, and paramedics
- Critical care and flight nurses and medics
- Emergency and trauma nurses
- Physician assistants and physicians
- Military and tactical medics
- Fire-based EMS and rescue crews
Need trauma training for first responders who are not EMTs? NAEMT's 8-hour PHTLS for First Responders (PHTLS-FR) course is built for firefighters, rescue personnel, emergency medical responders, and law enforcement.
Ask about PHTLS-FROn class day
- Bring a government-issued photo ID.
- Bring your current EMS, nursing, or other healthcare license or certification.
- Bring your PHTLS course book and any pre-course work we sent you.
- Arrive about 10 minutes early to park and find Suite 200. Late arrivals may be turned away.
Why take PHTLS with Hinson CPR
Our PHTLS course is taught by instructors who have worked trauma on the ground and in the air, with the same small-class, hands-on approach that has earned us a 5.0 rating on Google since 2015.
NAEMT-approved instructors
Every NAEMT course here is taught by instructors NAEMT has approved and monitored, using the current NAEMT materials, under our medical director.
Taught by working clinicians
Our instructors are experienced educators and working clinicians who have worked the ambulance, the helicopter, and the hospital.
CE that counts
PHTLS is CAPCE accredited for 16 hours of continuing education and recognized by the National Registry for recertification.
A card good for 4 years
Pass the course and NAEMT issues your PHTLS provider certificate and card, valid for 4 years.
Small, hands-on classes
Real equipment, realistic scenarios, and plenty of time at the stations and for your questions.
Your place or ours
Train in our Reno classroom on Moana Lane, or we bring the course to your station, hospital, or agency.
Your NAEMT PHTLS provider card
Finish the course and pass the written exam and skills evaluations, and NAEMT issues your PHTLS certificate of completion and provider card, good for 4 years, with 16 hours of CAPCE credit. Students who complete an NAEMT course are also eligible for a free introductory NAEMT membership.
PHTLS questions
What is the difference between PHTLS and ITLS?
Both are prehospital trauma courses. PHTLS is NAEMT's course, developed in cooperation with the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma and taught in more than 80 countries. ITLS is a separate program from a different organization. If your agency or employer requires one or the other, check before you register.
How long is the PHTLS course?
The provider course is 16 hours, usually taught over two days. The hybrid version is 8 hours online plus 8 hours in the classroom. The refresher is 8 hours.
What certification do I get, and how long is it good for?
When you pass, NAEMT issues a certificate of completion and a PHTLS provider card that is valid for 4 years.
Does PHTLS count for continuing education?
Yes. PHTLS is accredited by CAPCE (the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education) for 16 hours of continuing education credit and is recognized by the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT) for recertification.
What are the prerequisites for PHTLS?
A current EMT, AEMT, paramedic, RN, PA, or physician license or certification, or an equivalent prehospital credential. First responders without an EMS license should ask about PHTLS-FR instead.
Is there pre-course work for PHTLS?
Yes. Plan to complete the pre-course reading from the PHTLS materials before the first day, and in some courses a pre-test as well. We send the details and any online access codes after you register, so give yourself at least a week.
Do I need the PHTLS book?
Yes. You must have access to the current NAEMT PHTLS textbook before, during, and after class. You can add it when you register. If you decline the book at registration, you are confirming that you already have access to the current edition by other means, for example a copy from your employer.
How do I pass?
Attend the entire course, pass the written exam, and demonstrate the trauma assessment and management skills at the testing stations. Your instructors coach you through the skill stations before testing.
How do I register?
Registration is online only. When a PHTLS date is posted, pick it at the top of this page and tap Register to finish on our secure checkout. For a course scheduled on request, text (775) 235-2117 or email Info@HinsonCPR.com and we will set a date and send you the registration link. We cannot take registrations or payments over the phone.
What if I need to change my date?
Contact us before your class. PHTLS reschedules are $50, and all purchases are nonrefundable. Full details are in our terms and conditions.
Can you teach PHTLS for my agency or crew?
Yes. Most PHTLS classes run as private courses for fire departments, ambulance services, hospitals, and other groups. We can teach at our Reno classroom or at your station or facility. Text (775) 235-2117 or email Info@HinsonCPR.com with your head count and the dates that work for you.
Is Hinson CPR the same as Sierra BLS?
Yes. Hinson CPR is the new name for Sierra BLS. Same owner, same classroom on Moana Lane, and the same authorized NAEMT Training Center.
PHTLS and the Prehospital Trauma Life Support logo are trademarks of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), used here to promote registered NAEMT courses taught by Hinson CPR, formerly Sierra BLS, an authorized NAEMT Training Center. Use of the NAEMT name or course logos does not imply NAEMT endorsement of Hinson CPR or its other services.
What our students say
Rated 5.0 stars on Google from more than 330 student reviews.
Larry was fantastic! Class was broken into easily digestible sections, the mannequins & equipment was perfect for learning. Larry is so knowledgeable from his education and experience in the military and medical facilities. Highly recommend his courses.
Excellent experience overall. Instructor was prepared and able to answer all questions throughout. The instructor has a ton of experience and was able to properly correct our efforts without making us feel dumb. He was both patient and professional in all dealings.
Needed my BLS card for my EMS academy at TMCC. Terry... is a really knowledgeable person... Terry has a good set up, he means business and is ready to answer questions and give great advice. Highly recommended
You can tell Terance genuinely cares about his students' success. Such a professional and supportive environment... As a ICU nurse I recommend the BLS & ACLS classes!
The class was very informative and the hands-on were great. Larry is a very thorough teacher and was eager to answer any and all questions and explained different situations to help us understand the “why”. I would recommend his class to anyone.
It was so nice to find an on site course in a snap. I searched and found on a Tuesday and was completing my recert that Friday.
Train for the trauma call before it comes
Two days of hands-on trauma care, an NAEMT card good for 4 years, and 16 hours of CAPCE credit. Pick a date or text us to schedule a class for your crew.