The Use of Prehospital Personnel in the Hospital

Purpose:

  1. To provide clarification of the role of the registered professional nurse in the supervision and training of prehospital personnel (EMT through paramedic).
  2. To provide clarification of the role of the prehospital provider in the hospital.

Opinion:

The registered professional nurse may participate as an instructor or preceptor for prehospital personnel who are in the hospital to receive initial or refresher training.

The registered professional nurse may not delegate nursing functions to prehospital personnel.

The registered professional nurse who delegates nursing functions to prehospital personnel will be in violation of 32 MRSA Sections 2102(C) and (D) and 2105-A (2) (D).

Prehospital personnel are not licensed by the Board of Emergency Medical Services to perform any skills in the hospital other than during their training and in completing the transfer of their patient to the hospital staff.

Prehospital personnel will be functioning in direct conflict with 32 MRSA Section 2106(3) (Law Regulating the Practice of Nursing) if they are employed by the hospital to perform nursing functions.

Approved by Board of Nursing and Board of Emergency Medical Services

Dated: February 11, 1992