Great Plains instructor addresses skills gap among EMTs
There’s a nationwide shortage of emergency medical technicians, and Linda Pledger understands that more than many people. Pledger has taught emergency medical services at Great Plains Technology Center in Lawton, Oklahoma, for more than 20 years and has been involved in EMS for nearly twice that long.
Earlier this year, Pledger was named Instructor of the Year by the Oklahoma EMT Association. Jeff McGuire, who teaches in the EMT program at Southern Technology Center in Ardmore, Oklahoma, nominated Pledger for the award. He said Pledger has trained countless EMT professionals during her tenure, which often means working long hours.
“She often starts teaching at 8 a.m. and doesn’t stop until 10 p.m.,” McGuire said in his award presentation. “Linda would say, ‘There’s a need in the community for paramedics, and I don’t ever want to turn away a student.’”
Brad Crawford, Pledger’s fellow EMT instructor at Great Plains, said her passion for patient care shows in everything she teaches.
"I've seen EMT programs all over Oklahoma,” Crawford said. “None of them comes close to what we have going on here, and it's all because of Linda's passion for this field and her students."
One of Pledger’s former students said she still learns from Pledger, even though she’s no longer in the program. The student described Pledger as the backbone of the EMS program.
According to the student, “There isn’t an EMT or paramedic around that hasn’t learned from the legendary Linda Pledger."
McGuire said Pledger works hard to ensure every student has what he or she needs to succeed, and she puts her heart and soul into the lectures, quizzes, labs and tests. She even continues to work for a local ambulance service to keep her skills current. She provides continuing education and reviews documentation to ensure patients continue to receive the highest level of care. Pledger is a national representative for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
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Oklahoma CareerTech: Education that works for you
The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources and assures standards of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career and technology education. The system offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 60 campuses, 391 PK-12 school districts, 16 Skills Centers campuses that include three juvenile facilities and 32 adult education and family literacy providers.
The agency is governed by the State Board of Career and Technology Education and works closely with the State Department of Education and the State Regents for Higher Education to provide a seamless educational system for all Oklahomans.
