§ 1003.21. Ambulance attendant.

 (a)  Roles and responsibilities. An ambulance attendant, as part of the crew of an ambulance or a QRS, may perform BLS activities within the ambulance attendant’s scope of practice, as set forth in subsection (c), at the scene of an emergency or enroute to a facility. This section does not prohibit an ambulance attendant from providing BLS services as a good Samaritan.

 (b)  Qualifications. To qualify as an ambulance attendant an individual shall satisfy the age requirement under the Child Labor Law (43 P. S. § §  41—71) and one of the following:

   (1)  Possess a current certificate evidencing successful completion of an advanced first aid course sponsored by the American Red Cross and a certificate issued within the last 2 years evidencing successful completion of a CPR course.

   (2)  Possess a current certificate evidencing successful completion of a course determined by the Department to be equivalent to the requirements in paragraph (1).

 (c)  Scope of practice. An ambulance attendant shall have the authority to provide the following BLS services if trained to do so:

   (1)  Patient assessment—including vital signs—and ongoing evaluation.

   (2)  Pulmonary or cardiopulmonary resuscitation and foreign body airway obstruction management.

   (3)  Administration of oxygen.

   (4)  Insertion of oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal airways.

   (5)  Oropharyngeal suctioning.

   (6)  Assessment and management of cardiac, respiratory, diabetic shock, behavioral and heat/cold emergencies, as prescribed within an advanced first aid course meeting the requirements in subsection (b)(1) or (2).

   (7)  Emergency treatment for bleeding, burns, poisoning, seizures, soft tissue injuries, chest-abdominal-pelvic injuries, muscle and bone injuries, eye injuries and childbirth (including care of the newborn), as prescribed within an advanced first aid course meeting the requirements in subsection (b)(1) or (2).

   (8)  Application of spinal immobilization devices and splinting materials, including traction splints.

   (9)  Basic triage and basic maneuvers to gain access to the patient.

   (10)  Patient lifting and moving techniques.

   (11)  Use of an automated external defibrillator when approved by a physician who serves as the medical director of the ambulance service with respect to its use of automated external defibrillators.

   (12)  Assist a prehospital practitioner who is above the level of first responder in the use of Department-approved automatic ventilators and pulse oximetry when approved by the medical director of the ambulance service.

   (13)  Other BLS skills taught in a course in advanced first aid sponsored by the American Red Cross, provided the ambulance attendant has received training to perform those skills in a course or in an equivalent training program approved by the Department, and is able to document having received the training. The Department will identify these skills as follows:

     (i)   The Department will publish in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, at least annually, a list of the skills taught in the most recent course in advanced first aid sponsored by the American Red Cross.

     (ii)   If the course sponsored by the American Red Cross teaches skills in addition to advanced first aid, the Department will exclude those skills from the published list. An ambulance attendant may not perform a skill taught in a course approved under this paragraph if the Department does not include the skill in the list it publishes under subparagraph (i).

   The provisions of this §  1003.21 amended October 13, 2000, effective October 14, 2000, 30 Pa.B. 5363. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (256616).

   This section cited in 25 Pa. Code §  1001.2 (relating to definitions); and 25 Pa. Code §  1003.22 (relating to first responder).