Section 1023.25. Emergency medical technician

(a) Roles and responsibilities. An EMT performs basic EMS skills involving basic interventions and equipment found on an EMS vehicle or within an EMT’s scope of practice as follows:

(1) For an EMS agency as a member of the crew of an ambulance or squad vehicle.

(2) For an EMS agency as a member of a QRS to stabilize and improve a patient’s condition in an out-of-hospital setting until an ambulance arrives. The EMT may then assist the ambulance crew.

(3) As a member of a special operations EMS service.

(4) As a first aid or safety officer, or in a similar capacity, for or independent of an EMS agency. When serving in this capacity independent of an EMS agency, the EMT does not function under the direction of an EMS agency medical director or a medical command physician. The EMT shall perform skills as prescribed by applicable Statewide and regional EMS protocols and may not perform any skill for which the EMT is required to secure medical command direction under those protocols.

(b) Certification.

(1) The Department will certify as an EMT an individual who meets the following qualifications:

(i) Completes an application for EMT certification on a form or through an electronic process, as prescribed by the Department.

(ii) Is 16 years of age or older.

(iii) Has successfully completed an EMS provider educational course for EMTs.

(iv) Has a current certificate evidencing successful completion of a CPR course acceptable to the Department.

(v) Has passed a written examination for EMT certification prescribed by the Department.

(vi) Has passed a practical test of EMT skills for EMT certification prescribed by the Department.

(2) The Department will also certify as an EMT an individual who completes an application on a form or through an electronic process, as prescribed by the Department and who applies for EMT certification under § 1023.21(g) (relating to general rights and responsibilities).

(c) Triennial registration.

(1) An EMT’s certification is deemed registered for 3 years. Thereafter, an EMT shall triennially register the certification by completing a form or through an electronic process, as prescribed by the Department. An EMT shall submit the form or complete the electronic process at least 30 days prior to the expiration of a current registration. Failure to do so in a timely manner may result in the EMT certification not being registered again before the prior registration expires. The Department will issue a new registration within 30 days after the EMT completes the form or the electronic process if the information provided establishes that the EMT has successfully completed one of the following:

(i) The EMT practical skills and written knowledge triennial registration examinations prescribed by the Department.

(ii) The continuing education requirements for triennial registration of an EMT certification in § 1023.31(c) (relating to continuing education requirements).

(2) An EMT who is a member of the armed forces who is returning from active military service and whose EMT registration has expired or will expire within 12 months after returning from active military service may secure an exception to the triennial registration requirements under § 1023.21(d).

(d) Scope of practice.

(1) An EMT’s scope of practice incorporates the scope of practice of an EMR and additional skills in the following skill areas, as published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, if the EMT has been educated to perform the following skills:

(i) Airway/ventilation/oxygenation.

(ii) Cardiovascular circulation.

(iii) Immobilization.

(iv) Medication administration—routes.

(2) An EMT’s scope of practice may be expanded to include basic EMS skills in other skill areas as the Department publishes in a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. An EMT may not perform those additional skills unless the EMT has received education to perform those skills, and is able to document having received the education, in one of the following:

(i) A course approved by the Department that covers the complete curriculum for certification as an EMT.

(ii) A course which is determined by the Department to meet or exceed the standards of course approved by the Department under subparagraph (i).

(iii) A course for which the EMT may receive continuing education credit towards recertification.

(3) The Department will publish in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, at least biennially, a list of the skills the Department has approved as being within the scope of practice of an EMT.

The provisions of this § 1023.25 adopted October 11, 2013, effective April 10, 2014, 43 Pa.B. 6093.

Notation

Cross References

This section cited in 28 Pa. Code § 1023.31 (relating to continuing education requirements).