New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 8 - HEALTH › Chapter 41A - EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS-PARAMEDIC: TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION › Subchapter 1 - AUTHORITY, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS › Section 8:41A-1.3 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
The following words and terms, as used in this chapter, shall
				  have the following meanings, unless the context in which they are used clearly
				  indicates otherwise:
"ACLS certification" or "certification in ACLS" means valid
				  certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support as issued by the American Heart
				  Association.
"Advanced life support" or "ALS" means an advanced level of
				  pre-hospital, inter-facility or emergency medical care that includes basic life
				  support functions, cardiac monitoring, cardiac defibrillation, telemetered
				  electrocardiography, administration of anti-arrhythmic agents, intravenous (IV)
				  therapy, administration of specific medications, drugs and solutions, utilization of
				  adjunctive ventilation devices, trauma care and other techniques and procedures
				  authorized in writing by the Commissioner.
"Advanced practice nurse" means a person who is validly licensed
				  by the New Jersey Board of Nursing in accordance with the standards set forth at
				  45:11-45 et seq.
"AHA CPR Guidelines" means the "Guidelines 2000 for
				  Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care" as published by the
				  American Heart Association, National Center, 7272 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX
				  75231-4596, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented. A copy of
				  the guidelines is on file and available for inspection at the Office of Emergency
				  Medical Services.
"Air medical unit" or "AMU" means a specially equipped helicopter
				  or airplane that is validly licensed by the Department and operated in accordance
				  with the standards set forth at N.J.A.C. 8:41.
"Airplane" means, as defined at
				  14 C.F.R. 1.1, an
				  engine-driven fixed-wing aircraft heavier than air, which is supported in flight by
				  the dynamic reaction of the air against its wings.
"ALS crewmember" means:
1. A registered nurse who meets the requirements set forth at
				  8:41-9.9 or
				  8:41-10.8(d)1 through
				  (d)5 vii; and/or
2. An EMT-Paramedic, who staffs a mobile intensive care unit,
				  specialty care transport unit or air medical unit.
"Automated external defibrillator" or "AED" means a device that
				  can be attached to a patient in cardiopulmonary arrest, analyze an electrocardiogram
				  for the presence of potentially lethal dysrhythmias (specifically, ventricular
				  fibrillation and fast ventricular tachycardia), deliver an electrical defibrillation
				  to the patient in accordance with the requirements of standard treatment protocols,
				  and produce an event summary that documents significant events in the utilization of
				  the device, specifically events prior to and after an electrical
				  defibrillation.
"Available" means ready for immediate utilization (pertaining to
				  equipment, vehicles and personnel) or immediately accessible (pertaining to
				  records).
"Basic life support" or "BLS" means a basic level of pre-hospital
				  care that includes patient stabilization, airway clearance and maintenance,
				  cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (to the level of the Professional Rescuer or
				  Health Care Provider as issued by either the American Heart Association, the
				  American Red Cross, the National Safety Council or other entity determined by the
				  Department to comply with AHA CPR Guidelines), hemorrhage control, initial wound
				  care, fracture stabilization, victim extrication and other techniques and procedures
				  as defined in the EMT-Basic: National Standard Curriculum promulgated by the
				  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the United States Department of
				  Transportation, as amended and supplemented (obtainable from The National Highway
				  Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 400 7th Street S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590,
				  by accessing the NHTSA website at
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/emsor
by calling (888) 327-4236).
"Basic life support ambulance" or "BLS ambulance" means an
				  emergency medical services vehicle that is validly licensed by the Department and
				  operated in accordance with the standards set forth at N.J.A.C. 8:40.
"Certificate of need" means the formal written approval of the New
				  Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services to construct or expand a health care
				  facility or to institute a new health care service, in accordance with requirements
				  set forth at N.J.A.C. 8:33.
"Certified" or "certification" means official documentation that a
				  person has completed all the requirements of an approved training program and has
				  demonstrated competence in the subject matter to the satisfaction of the certifying
				  agency.
"Clinical portion" means the practical "hands-on" portion of the
				  program curriculum or the refresher curriculum, as appropriate in the context of the
				  provision.
"Clinical training site" means a mobile intensive care hospital,
				  as defined in this section, which has been authorized by the Department to provide
				  the clinical portion of an EMT-Paramedic training program.
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department
				  of Health and Senior Services.
"Controlled dangerous substance" means a drug, substance or
				  immediate precursor identified in Schedules I through V of the New Jersey Controlled
				  Dangerous Substances Act (24:21-5 through 8.1). The term shall
				  not include distilled spirits, wine or malt beverages, as those terms are defined or
				  utilized in 33:1-1 et seq., or tobacco and tobacco
				  products.
"Convicted" or "conviction" means a finding of guilt by a judge or
				  jury, a guilty plea, a plea of nolo contendere or non-vult or entry into a pre-trial
				  intervention program, conditional discharge or other diversionary program authorized
				  under the statutes of the State of New Jersey or under any other state's
				  statutes.
"CPR certification" means valid certification in cardiopulmonary
				  resuscitation to the level of the Professional Rescuer or Health Care Provider as
				  issued by the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, the National
				  Safety Council or other entity determined by the Department to comply with AHA CPR
				  Guidelines.
"Crewmember" means any person (including, but not limited to, an
				  EMT-Basic, EMT-Paramedic or registered nurse) who staffs a basic life support
				  ambulance, mobile intensive care unit, specialty care transport unit or aero-medical
				  unit.
"Crime" means, in accordance with the New Jersey Code of Criminal
				  Justice, specifically
				  2C:1-4, any offense for which a
				  sentence of imprisonment in excess of six months is authorized.
"Department" means the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior
				  Services.
"Didactic coordinator" means the person responsible for
				  coordinating the didactic portion of an EMT-Paramedic training program. The specific
				  responsibilities required of a didactic coordinator are set forth at
				  8:41A-2.3(c).
"Didactic portion" means the textbook/lecture portion of the
				  program curriculum or the refresher curriculum, as appropriate in the context of the
				  provision.
"Didactic training site" means a New Jersey college, accredited by
				  the Department of Higher Education, which has been authorized by the Department to
				  provide the didactic portion of an EMT-Paramedic training program.
"Director" means the person responsible for all activities of a
				  mobile intensive care program. The specific requirements necessary to serve as a
				  mobile intensive care program director are set forth at
				  8:41-9.3.
"Disorderly persons offense" or "petty disorderly persons offense"
				  shall have the same meaning as the definition provided by the New Jersey Code of
				  Criminal Justice at
				  2C:1-4, incorporated herein by
				  reference, as amended and supplemented. Generally, such offenses are under the
				  jurisdiction of municipal courts, carry a maximum jail term of six months or less,
				  and are characterized by being minor in nature, not giving rise to the rights of
				  trial by jury or indictment by grant jury. Examples of these offenses include
				  harassment, obstructing a public passage, and fighting in a public place.
"Emergency" means a person's perceived need for immediate medical
				  care in order to prevent death or aggravation of physiological or psychological
				  illness or injury.
"Emergency medical services" or "EMS" means a system for the
				  provision of emergency care and transportation of persons who are sick or injured
				  and in need of immediate medical care.
"Emergency Medical Technician-Basic" or "EMT-Basic" means a person
				  trained in basic life support care and validly certified or recognized by the
				  Commissioner in accordance with the standards for Emergency Medical Technician-Basic
				  certification as set forth at N.J.A.C. 8:40A.
"Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic" or "EMT-Paramedic" means
				  a person trained in advanced life support cares and validly certified or recognized
				  by the Commissioner in accordance with the standards for Emergency Medical
				  Technician-Paramedic certification as set forth in this chapter.
"EMS Educator" means the person responsible for coordinating all
				  activities associated with the clinical portion of an EMT-Paramedic training
				  program. The specific responsibilities required of an EMS Educator are set forth at
				  8:41A-2.4(c).
"EMT-Paramedic student" means a person enrolled in an
				  EMT-Paramedic training program.
"EMT-Paramedic training program" means a course of study, as
				  provided for in this chapter, consisting of both didactic and clinical instruction,
				  designed for the purpose of preparing a person to sit for the NREMT-Paramedic
				  Certification Examination.
"Evaluator" means a person responsible for administering the
				  practical "hands-on" portion of the NREMT-Paramedic Certification Examination.
				  Evaluators are identified, appointed and trained by the Office of Emergency Medical
				  Services to observe and record the actions of each EMT-Paramedic student based upon
				  the criteria for each skill tested, in accordance with the standards and guidelines
				  established by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
"Field preceptor" means a person, identified by the didactic
				  coordinator and/or the EMS Educator, who possesses a higher level of expertise in
				  both the subject matter and field training requirements of EMT-Paramedic students. A
				  field preceptor shall be responsible for monitoring EMT-Paramedic students in the
				  demonstration of knowledge and in the performance of skills during the course of a
				  student's required field experience.
"General hospital" means any hospital, validly licensed by the
				  Department, which maintains and operates organized facilities and services for the
				  diagnosis, treatment or care of persons suffering from acute illness, injury or
				  deformity and in which all diagnoses, treatment and care are administered by or
				  performed under the direction of persons who, in accordance with
				  45:9-6, are validly licensed to
				  practice medicine and surgery by the New Jersey State Board of Medical
				  Examiners.
"Helicopter" means a heavier-than-air aircraft that depends
				  principally for its support in flight on the lift generated by one or more
				  rotors.
"ITLS certification" or "certification in ITLS" means valid
				  certification in International Trauma Life Support as issued by the American College
				  of Emergency Physicians.
"Medical command" means the medical direction provided to ALS
				  crewmembers by a medical command physician.
"Medical command physician" means a physician or a person validly
				  licensed by another state's Board of Medical Examiners (or equivalent licensing
				  agency) who provides medical direction to ALS crewmembers via radio, telephone or
				  other direct means of communications. The criteria for medical command physicians
				  differ for mobile intensive care units, specialty care transport units and
				  aero-medical units. The specific criteria for each is set forth at
				  8:41-9.5,
				  8:41-10.5 and
				  8:41-11.5, respectively.
"Medical director" means the physician responsible for the medical
				  oversight of the operations of a mobile intensive care program. The specific
				  criteria required of a medical director are set forth at
				  8:41-9.4.
"Medical record" means any information and/or reports (including,
				  but not limited to, patient care reports) that describe a person's physical
				  condition and/or medical history.
"Mobile intensive care hospital" means a general hospital
				  authorized by the Commissioner, by way of a certificate of need, to develop and
				  maintain a mobile intensive care program for the purpose of providing advanced life
				  support care to a specific population, geographic region or political
				  subdivision.
"Mobile intensive care nurse" or "MICN" means a registered nurse
				  who meets all of the criteria set forth at N.J.A.C. 8:41-9.9.
"Mobile intensive care program" means a program, operated by a
				  mobile intensive care hospital, which is validly licensed by the Department to
				  provide pre-hospital advanced life support cares by way of a specially equipped and
				  staffed mobile intensive care unit. The mobile intensive care hospital shall be
				  vested with the ultimate responsibility for the delivery of services and shall be
				  held accountable for the actions of all of its crewmembers in the event that there
				  are violations of any State or Federal licensing standards.
"Mobile intensive care unit" or "MICU" means a specialized
				  emergency medical services vehicle that is validly licensed by the Department and
				  operated in accordance with the standards set forth at N.J.A.C. 8:41.
"NREMT" means The National Registry of Emergency Medical
				  Technicians, which is a professional testing agency specializing in the development
				  of evaluation instruments designed for utilization by various states in the
				  certification and registration of emergency medical services professionals. The
				  NREMT is headquartered at the Rocco V. Morando Building, 6610 Busch Boulevard, P.O.
				  Box 29233, Columbus, OH 43229-0233.
"Neonatal" means the period of time from the moment of birth up to
				  and including the 28th day following birth.
"Office of Emergency Medical Services" or "OEMS" means the Office
				  of Emergency Medical Services in the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior
				  Services, PO Box 360, Trenton, New Jersey, 08625. The telephone number for OEMS is
				  (609) 633-7777.
"Official NREMT representative" means a person responsible for the
				  administration of the NREMT-Paramedic Certification Examination. Official NREMT
				  representatives are appointed by the Office of Emergency Medical Services and are
				  trained by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, in accordance
				  with the its standards and guidelines, to conduct all NREMT-Paramedic Certification
				  Examination related activities.
"PALS certification" or "certification in PALS" means valid
				  certification in Pediatric Advanced Life Support as issued by the American Heart
				  Association.
"Patient" means any person who is ill or injured, living or
				  deceased and with whom a crewmember has established physical or verbal
				  contact.
"Patient care report" means and includes the written documentation
				  completed each time a crewmember makes physical or verbal contact with a
				  patient.
"Pediatric" means the period of time beginning with the 29th day
				  following birth up to, but not including, a person's 13th birthday.
"PEPP-Advanced certification" or "certification in PEPP-Advanced"
				  means valid certification in Pediatric Education for Prehospital Providers as issued
				  by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
"PHTLS certification" or "certification in PHTLS" means valid
				  certification in Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support as issued by the National
				  Association of EMTs.
"Physician" means a person who is validly licensed by the New
				  Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners in accordance with the standards set forth
				  at 45:9-6.
"Physician assistant" means a person who is validly licensed by
				  the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners in accordance with the standards set
				  forth at N.J.S.A. 45:9-27.1 3.
"Pre-hospital" means the period of time prior to the delivery of a
				  patient to a physician or registered nurse at a general hospital or satellite
				  emergency department.
"Program curriculum" means the Emergency Medical
				  Technician-Paramedic: National Standard Curriculum (EMT-P) 1998 edition published by
				  the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the United States Department
				  of Transportation, incorporated hereby by reference, as amended and supplemented.
				  Copies may be obtained from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400
				  7th Street S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590 or by calling (888) 327-4236 or accessing
				  the website at
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/ems
.
"Refresher curriculum" means the Emergency Medical
				  Technician-Paramedic: 2001 National Standard Curriculum Refresher Course edition
				  published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the United States
				  Department of Transportation, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and
				  supplemented. Copies may be obtained from the National Highway Traffic Safety
				  Administration, 400 7th Street S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590 or by calling (888)
				  327-4236 or accessing the website at
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/ems
.
"Registered nurse" means a person who is validly licensed by the
				  New Jersey State Board of Nursing in accordance with the standards set forth at
				  45:11-26.
"Remediation" means the formal process by which students who are
				  experiencing difficulties following the lesson plan receive a formal review of any
				  and all cognitive and psychomotor objectives associated with a specific
				  module.
"Respiratory care practitioner" means a person who is validly
				  licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Respiratory Care in accordance with the
				  standards set forth at
				  45:14E-10.
"Revocation" or "revoked" means the permanent voiding, withdrawal
				  and/or cancellation of a license or certification.
"Satellite emergency department" means a facility that is owned
				  and operated by a general hospital that provides emergency care and
				  treatment.
"Specialty care transport unit" or "SCTU" means a specialized
				  transport medical service vehicle that is validly licensed by the Department and
				  operated in accordance with the standards set forth at N.J.A.C. 8:41.
"Standing orders" means specific treatment protocols, authorized
				  by the Commissioner, that occur prior to any communications with the medical command
				  physician.
"Valid" or "validly" means original (not a photo copy), current,
				  up-to-date, not expired, in effect and/or not past the renewal date required by the
				  issuer.