2011 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 40 — Public health and safety
RS 40:1234 — Duties of emergency medical personnel

§1234. Duties of emergency medical personnel

A.(1) A certified emergency medical technician-basic may perform any of the following functions:

(a) Rescue, first aid, resuscitation, and other services to the extent that he has been trained to perform such services under the provisions of the National Standard EMT-Basic training curriculum developed and promulgated by the United States Department of Transportation that are adopted by the bureau.

(b) When authorized by medical direction, an emergency medical technician-basic or an emergency medical technician-intermediate may administer or aid the patient in the administration of a dose of epinephrine from an auto-injector to treat allergic reaction and anaphylaxis.

(c) Services which may be performed by a certified emergency medical technician-intermediate as provided in Subsection B of this Section, but only while he is enrolled in good standing in an approved emergency medical technician-intermediate clinical or field internship program and while he is under the direct supervision of a physician, registered nurse, certified emergency technician-paramedic, or other preceptor approved by the bureau.

(d) Services which may be performed by a certified emergency medical technician-paramedic, as provided in Subsection C of this Section, but only while he is enrolled in good standing in an approved emergency medical technician-paramedic clinical or field internship program and while he is under the direct supervision of a physician, registered nurse, certified emergency technician-paramedic, or other preceptor approved by the bureau.

(2) The functions authorized by Paragraph (1) of this Subsection may be performed by the certified emergency medical technician-basic under any of the following conditions:

(a) While he is at the scene of a medical or other emergency where voice contact is established with a physician and under the physician's order.

(b) While he is at the scene of a life threatening emergency and under a protocol that has been approved by the local parish medical society, or its designee, until voice communication with the physician is established at the earliest possible time.

B.(1) A certified emergency medical technician-intermediate may perform any of the following functions:

(a) Any services to the extent that he has been trained to perform such services under the provisions of the National Standard EMT-Intermediate training curriculum developed and promulgated by the United States Department of Transportation that are adopted by the bureau.

(b) Services which may be performed by a certified emergency medical technician-paramedic, as provided in Subsection C of this Section, but only while he is enrolled in good standing in an approved emergency medical technician-paramedic clinical or field internship program and while under the direct supervision of a physician, registered nurse, certified emergency technician-paramedic, or other preceptor approved by the bureau.

(2) The functions authorized by Paragraph (1) of this Subsection may be performed by the certified emergency medical technician-intermediate under any of the following conditions:

(a) While caring for a patient in a participating hospital under the direct supervision of a physician.

(b) While he is at the scene of a medical or other emergency where voice contact is established with a physician and under the physician's orders.

(c) While he is at the scene of a life threatening emergency and under a protocol that has been approved by the local parish medical society, or its designee, until voice communication with the physician is established at the earliest possible time.

C.(1) A certified emergency medical technician-paramedic may perform any of the following functions:

(a) Any services to the extent that he has been trained to perform such service under the provisions of the National Standard EMT-Paramedic training curriculum developed and promulgated by the United States Department of Transportation that are adopted by the bureau.

(b) Administration of other drugs or procedures for which the certified emergency medical technician-paramedic has received training, certification, and approval by the commission and which may be considered necessary by the ordering physician.

(2) The functions authorized by Paragraph (1) of this Subsection may be performed by a certified emergency medical technician-paramedic under any of the following conditions:

(a) While his caring for a patient in a participating hospital under the direct supervision of a physician.

(b) While he is at the scene of a medical or other emergency where voice contact is established with a physician and under the physician's orders.

(c) While he is at the scene of a life threatening emergency and under a protocol that has been approved by the local parish medical society, or its designee, until voice communication with the physician is established at the earliest possible time.

D. A certified first responder may perform any of the following functions:

(1) Rescue, first aid, resuscitation, and other services to the extent that he has been trained to perform such services under the provisions of the first responder training curriculum developed and adopted by the bureau.

(2) Administration of automated cardiac defibrillation in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the bureau in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act and a protocol that shall be approved by the local parish medical society, or its designee, and the local physician medical director.

E.(1) In a case of a life-threatening situation as determined by a certified emergency medical technician-intermediate or an emergency medical technician-paramedic, when voice contact with a physician or when telemetered electrocardiogram communication is delayed, not possible, or when the delay in treatment could endanger the life of the patient, such a person may render services, in accordance with a protocol that shall be established by the emergency medical services committee or the executive committee of the parish or component medical society, or its designee, until voice or telemetered electrocardiogram communication can be established at the earliest possible time.

(2) Such services may be rendered for the following conditions:

(a) Cardiac arrest.

(b) Ventricular tachycardia.

(c) Supraventricular tachycardia.

(d) Premature ventricular ectopy when greater than six per minute, multifocal, bigeminal, occurring in bursts of two or more, falling on or close to the T wave.

(e) Severe, unrelieved, suspected cardiogenic chest pain, or suspected myocardial infarction.

(f) Bradydysrhythmias.

(g) Hypoglycemia.

(h) Anaphylactic reactions.

(i) Hypovolemic shock.

(j) Unconsciousness, altered mental status, or respiratory depression from suspected drug overdose.

(k) Treatment induced unconsciousness, altered mental status, hypotension, or respiratory depression from physician ordered or protocol appropriate paramedic administered narcotics.

(l) Respiratory failure or respiratory arrest.

(m) Active seizure.

(3) Nothing in this Subsection shall be construed to authorize a certified emergency medical technician-paramedic to administer any Schedule II narcotic without a direct order by a physician licensed to practice medicine by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners or in accordance with an approved protocol adopted pursuant to Subsection E(1) and (2).

F.(1) The bureau shall adopt rules and regulations to allow emergency medical personnel to institute a program for the delivery of automated cardiac defibrillation in the pre-hospital setting.

(2) The bureau shall adopt rules and regulations for training to allow all levels of certified medical technicians to carry and administer epinephrine by auto-injectors to patients experiencing allergic reactions or anaphylaxis.

G. Any individual, training organization, organization, or other entity violating the provisions of this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, conviction of which shall subject the offender to a fine of not less than five hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars for each separate offense.

H. In the event that there is no organized or functional local parish medical society in a parish of the state, the provisions of this Section which require the approval of an emergency medical service protocol by the local parish medical society or its designee may be performed by a parish or multiparish medical society which is adjacent or contiguous to the parish without an organized or functional local parish medical society. In the absence of such adjacent or contiguous parish or multiparish medical society, the district medical society shall approve an emergency medical service protocol for the parish without an organized or functional local parish medical society. In the event the district medical society does not approve an emergency medical service protocol for the parish without an organized or functional local parish medical society, the disaster and emergency medical services committee of the Louisiana State Medical Society shall approve an emergency medical service protocol for the parish without an organized or functional local parish medical society.

I. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations establishing basic guidelines for statewide emergency medical service protocols. Such rules and regulations shall be based on the recommendations of the Louisiana State Medical Society's disaster and emergency medical services committee, which shall serve as an advisory committee to the department for this purpose.

Acts 1977, No. 626, §2; Amended by Acts 1978, No. 469, §1; Acts 1979, No. 688, §1; Acts 1984, No. 242, §1; Acts 1984, No. 243, §1; Acts 1986, No. 630, §1, eff. July 6, 1986; Acts 1987, No. 665, §1, eff. July 9, 1987; Acts 1988, No. 776, §1; Acts 1989, No. 195, §1, eff. June 26, 1989; Acts 1990, No. 211, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1991; Acts 1991, No. 974, §1, eff. July 24, 1991; Acts 1997, No. 913, §§2, 3; Acts 1999, No. 427, §1; Acts 2001, No. 385, §1.