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311A.170 Paramedics -- Permitted activities -- Employment by hospitals -Reasonable control by employers.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
Subject to the provisions of this section, a paramedic may perform any
procedure:
(a) Specified in the most recent curriculum of the United States Department
of Transportation training course for paramedics; and
(b) Any additional procedure specified by the board by administrative
regulation.
When there is a change in the United States Department of Transportation
curriculum for paramedics, or the board approves an additional skill or
procedure by administrative regulation, or approves a protocol differing from
the curriculum or administrative regulations, no person who was not trained
under that curriculum or administrative regulation shall perform any activity or
procedure in the new curriculum, administrative regulation, or protocol unless
the person has been trained according to the new curriculum, administrative
regulation, or protocol and demonstrates competency in the new knowledge or
skill. Competency in a new skill shall be demonstrated through a return
demonstration to a competent evaluator. If the board adopts the new procedure
or skill, the board shall promulgate an administrative regulation specifying the
new procedure, training requirements, examination requirements, and a time
period during which the paramedic shall successfully complete the material or
lose his or her license as a paramedic.
A paramedic may draw blood samples from a criminal defendant upon the
request of a peace officer and the consent of the defendant, or without the
consent of the defendant upon receipt of a court order requiring the procedure,
if the paramedic is authorized to do so by his or her employer. The
authorization shall be in writing and may be by general written policy of the
employer and the service's medical director. The paramedic who drew the
blood sample shall deliver the sample to the peace officer or other person
specified by the court in a court order and shall testify in court with regard
thereto upon service of a proper subpoena.
A paramedic shall be permitted to render services only under the supervision
of an emergency medical services medical director.
Any provision of this chapter other than this section relating to the requirement
for additional training, requirement for skill examination, or approval of standing
orders, protocols, or medical procedures to the contrary notwithstanding, a
paramedic may be employed by a hospital to work as a licensed paramedic in
the emergency department of the hospital subject to the following conditions:
(a) The hospital in collaboration with the medical staff shall provide operating
procedures and policies under which the paramedic shall operate
consistent with the paramedic's scope of practice;
(b) A paramedic shall provide patient care services under the orders of a
physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, or as
delegated by a registered nurse;
(c) Subject to the provisions relating to the scope of practice of a paramedic,
a hospital may require a paramedic to take additional training on any
(6)
subject or skill which the paramedic may be required to perform in a
hospital and demonstrate competency in the skill or subject to a
competent evaluator; and
(d) The paramedic does not violate the provisions of KRS 311A.175 or any
other statute or administrative regulation relating to a paramedic.
No provision of this section shall prevent a paramedic from being employed in
any other section of the hospital where the paramedic's job duties do not
require certification or licensure by the board and do not otherwise constitute
the unlawful practice of medicine.
Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, nothing in this section shall
prevent an employer from exercising reasonable fiscal control over the costs of
providing medical services to its citizens nor prevent the employer from
exercising any reasonable control over paramedics providing care on behalf of
the licensed entity.
Effective:July 15, 2010
History: Amended 2010 Ky. Acts ch. 85, sec. 50, effective July 15, 2010. -Created 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 211, sec. 31, effective July 15, 2002.
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