§85. Emergency medical persons
1. Basic and advanced skills. With advice from and in consultation with the Medical Direction and Practices Board, the board may provide, by rule, which skills, techniques and judgments constitute a basic emergency medical treatment.
[PL 2007, c. 274, §11 (AMD).]
2. Advanced emergency medical treatment. With the advice and consultation noted in subsection 1, the board may provide, by rule, which advanced skills, techniques and judgments may be supervised by a physician by means of standing orders, by voice radio and by other means. In every case, advanced emergency medical treatment must be given in accordance with protocols adopted by the Medical Direction and Practices Board.
The board may establish by rule appropriate licensure levels for advanced emergency medical persons and fix the qualifications for persons to hold those licenses.
[PL 2019, c. 370, §15 (AMD).]
3. Minimum requirements for licensing. In setting rules for the licensure of emergency medical services persons, the board shall ensure that a person is not licensed to care for patients unless that person's qualifications are at least those specified in this subsection. Any person who meets these conditions is considered to have the credentials and skill demonstrations necessary for licensure to provide emergency medical treatment.
A. The person must have completed successfully the training specified in rules adopted by the board pursuant to the Maine Administrative Procedure Act. [PL 1995, c. 161, §5 (AMD).]
B. [PL 2007, c. 274, §12 (RP).]
C. The person must have successfully completed a state cognitive test for basic emergency medical treatment and a board-approved practical evaluation of emergency medical treatment skills. [PL 2011, c. 271, §8 (AMD).]
D. [PL 2001, c. 474, §1 (RP).]
The board shall obtain criminal history record information containing a record of public criminal history record information as defined in Title 16, section 703, subsection 9 for an applicant seeking licensure under this subsection. Information obtained pursuant to this subsection is confidential and may be used only to determine suitability for issuance of a license to provide emergency medical services. The results of criminal history record checks received by the board are for official use only and may not be disseminated outside the board. The applicant for licensure shall pay the expense of obtaining the information required by this subsection.
[PL 2013, c. 267, Pt. B, §25 (AMD).]
4. Minimum requirements for relicensing. The board shall set by rule the license and relicensing requirements and the relicensing interval for emergency medical services persons. A person who is duly licensed in Maine as an emergency medical services person must be issued a renewal license if the following requirements are met:
A. The person must have satisfactorily completed relicensure training as defined in the rules; and [PL 1991, c. 742, §3 (NEW).]
B. The person must have satisfactorily demonstrated competence in the skills required for the license level. Skill competence may be satisfied by a combination of run report reviews and continuing education training programs conducted in accordance with the rules or by satisfactorily completing the state cognitive test and a board-approved practical evaluation of emergency medical treatment skills. [PL 2011, c. 271, §9 (AMD).]
If the person is not duly licensed at the time of application, the person must demonstrate skill and knowledge as defined in the rules.
To maintain a valid license, an emergency medical services person must meet the criteria set out in this section. If those criteria are not met, a person does not hold a valid license and must reapply for licensure.
[PL 2011, c. 271, §9 (AMD).]
5. Ambulance attendants grandfathered.
[PL 2011, c. 271, §10 (RP).]
6. Ambulance operator course. By January 1, 2007, a person whose job description includes operating an ambulance in an emergency mode or transporting a patient must possess within 6 months of being employed, certification of successful completion of a basic ambulance vehicle operator course, or a course that has been approved by the board as an equivalent, in order to operate an ambulance in an emergency mode or to transport a patient. This requirement applies to all paid and volunteer ambulance operators and transporters. This requirement is in addition to vehicle operator requirements of Title 29‑A or other law. A person whose job description includes operating an ambulance in an emergency mode or transporting a patient who successfully completes a basic ambulance vehicle operator course or a course that has been approved by the board as an equivalent may apply to the board for reimbursement for the cost of the course.
[PL 2005, c. 664, Pt. O, §1 (AMD).]
7. Delegation. This chapter may not be construed to prohibit a person licensed as an emergency medical services person from rendering medical services in a hospital setting if those services are:
A. Rendered in the person's capacity as an employee of the hospital; [PL 2019, c. 609, §1 (NEW).]
B. Authorized by the hospital; and [PL 2019, c. 609, §1 (NEW).]
C. Delegated in accordance with section 2594‑A or 3270-A. [PL 2019, c. 609, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 2019, c. 609, §1 (NEW).]
8. Naloxone hydrochloride. An emergency medical services person licensed under this chapter may dispense naloxone hydrochloride in accordance with Title 22, section 2353, subsection 2-A and the rules adopted and protocols developed for emergency medical services persons under this chapter.
[PL 2021, c. 161, §4 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1981, c. 661, §2 (NEW). PL 1985, c. 730, §§11,16 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 857, §69 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 588, §13 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 613 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 742, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 152, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 161, §§5,6 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 26, §1 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 26, §2 (AFF). PL 1999, c. 182, §8 (AMD). PL 1999, c. 764, §1 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 45, §1 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 229, §3 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 474, §1 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 697, §C1 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 559, §1 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 664, §O1 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 681, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 274, §§11-14 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 271, §§8-10 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 267, Pt. B, §25 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 370, §15 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 609, §1 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 161, §4 (AMD).