Improving Trauma Care Worldwide
Refer to the Coordinator & Instructor Guide for complete resources to guide the planning, organization, and execution of ITLS courses. The Coordinator & Instructor Guide can be obtained from your local Chapter or Training Centre.
ITLS requires that all students have a copy of the appropriate ITLS course book. Students should receive their books at least 30 days before the course date for adequate time to prepare for the course.
The ITLS Pre-Tests and Answer Keys may be posted online and/or distributed to students in advance of the course, as these documents are educational tools to identify the areas students need to study. Distribution of both of these resources in advance of the course gives students the opportunity to complete the Pre-Test and determine which questions were missed in order to allow for more study on those subject areas.
ITLS mandates that the student to faculty ratio for any ITLS course be no more than 6:1. The number of students that can be taught in a course is limited by the availability of faculty, equipment, and classroom space for lecture, skill stations, and patient assessment testing stations.
A course coordinator for an ITLS course must be physically onsite throughout the course.
The ITLS Board of Directors has adopted a policy on the involvement of medical directors in ITLS courses. The policy was adopted in February 2001 as follows:
To be certified, an ITLS course must be taught by registered ITLS instructors under the sponsorship of ITLS International. The course does not certify future performance nor does it confer license of any kind upon successful completion.
ITLS strongly recommends on‐site involvement of physician instructors in ITLS courses to integrate materials into the local emergency medical service systems, as well as to provide medical oversight.
Each course must have a medical director who is available for consultation during the course. The course medical director acknowledges accountability by being familiar with all course content and ensuring the course is taught per guidelines of the Chapter’s policy and procedures and ITLS International.
When the course medical director is not on‐site, each course must have a designated affiliate faculty provide the necessary quality assurance, overall responsibility, and assures adherence to ITLS standards.
This policy sets the minimum which Chapters and Training Centres must meet. Your local Chapter or Training Centre may continue to require that course medical directors be on site at all times during a course. The policy should be included in its policy and procedure manual.
All ITLS courses must use the official ITLS written exams provided to them by their local Chapter or Training Centre. Exams may be translated as needed but the content of the exams may not be changed.
All student must pass the standardized ITLS Written Exam with a minimum score of 74% (or higher score set at the discretion of chapter/training centre). ITLS has adopted an Open Resource Policy for Written Exam testing, mandatory for all chapters and training centres as of January 1, 2019. Students are permitted to use the textbook or personal (written) notes while taking the ITLS Written Exam. No electronic devices will be permitted during testing. Students are allowed a maximum of 1 hour to complete the Written Exam.
Students who successfully complete the Written Exam but are unable to pass the practical skills may receive a certificate of course completion with continuing education hours, but not an ITLS certification card.
Students who fail only the patient assessment skills test will usually be retested on the same day (time permitting) or given the opportunity to retest within 6 weeks. It is strongly recommended that there be two evaluators for a patient assessment retest. If possible, the evaluator who initially rated the student as “inadequate” should not conduct the retest. Students may not retest in order to raise a passing grade.
Students who fail only the written test usually may not retake it immediately but will be given an opportunity to retest after having had time to review the material and study identified areas of weakness. The retest will be scheduled within 6 weeks. Students who pass the retest will pass the course. Students who fail the retest may be provided an opportunity to retake the course at no charge or for a reduced charge. Students may not retest in order to raise a passing grade.
Students who fail both the written and the patient assessment test will be asked to repeat the course.
All documents related to an ITLS course must be kept for a minimum of 3 years (or longer period set at the discretion of chapter/training centre).
Students should receive ITLS cards as expeditiously as possible. Course coordinators must work with their Chapter or Training Centres to ensure assure that students receive cards within 30 days of course completion when all fees have been paid.
All coordinators must use ITLS‐issued certification cards, either printed cards or those downloadable from the ITLS Course Management System. No other certification cards may be used.
If a student cannot complete the patient assessment portion of the ITLS course due to physical disability, he or she should receive a certificate of completion or audit, but should not receive a course certification card. Chapters and Training Centres may choose to make accommodations to assist students to complete portions of the course. In addition, completion of a course does not signify field competency.
ITLS recognizes the importance of conducting courses free of any sexual or other harassment. Each Chapter and Training Centre is required by ITLS International to adopt a non-discrimination and harassment policy that addresses the legal requirements while taking social and cultural customs into account. This policy can be found in the Chapter or Training Centre’s Policy & Procedure Manual.