Iowa Administrative Code
Agency 641 - PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Chapter 131 - EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES-PROVIDERS-INITIAL CERTIFICATION-RENEWAL AND REACTIVATION-AUTHORITY-COMPLAINTS AND INVESTIGATIONS
Rule 641-131.2 - Definitions
For the purpose of these rules, the following definitions shall apply:
"Advanced emergency medical technician" or "AEMT" means an individual who has successfully completed a course of study based on the United States Department of Transportation's Advanced Emergency Medical Technician Instructional Guidelines (January 2009), has passed the psychomotor and cognitive examinations for the AEMT, and is currently certified by the department as an AEMT.
"Bureau" or "BETS" means the bureau of emergency and trauma services, the bureau designated by the department as the lead agency for coordinating and implementing the provision of emergency medical services in this state.
"CAPCE" means the Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education. CAPCE is an accrediting body charged with the review and accreditation of EMS continuing education.
"CEH" means continuing education hour, which is based upon a minimum of 50 minutes of training per hour.
"Certification" or "certificate" means a document issued by the department authorizing a person to practice as an emergency medical care provider in Iowa.
"Certification period" means the length of time an emergency medical care provider certificate is valid. The certification period shall be for two years from initial issuance or from renewal, unless otherwise specified on the certificate or unless sooner suspended or revoked.
"Certification status" means the status of an individual EMS certificate holder.
1. "Active" means the holder of the certification has the authority to function as an emergency medical care provider at the level certified in accordance with subrule 131.5(1).
2. "Probation," which is an active certification, means the holder of the certification has the authority to function as an emergency medical care provider at the level certified in accordance with subrule 131.5(1) and under the conditions of probation.
3. "Denied" means the certificate is inactive and the holder of the certification has no authority to function as an emergency medical care provider.
4. "Inactive" means the certificate is inactive and the holder of the certification has no authority to function as an emergency medical care provider.
5. "Revoked" means the certification is inactive and the holder of the certification has no authority to function as an emergency medical care provider.
6. "Surrendered" means the certification is inactive and the holder of the certification has no authority to function as an emergency medical care provider.
7. "Suspended" means the certification is inactive and the holder of the certification has no authority to function as an emergency medical care provider.
"Certified" means being officially recognized as meeting department-approved testing and training standards and being issued a certificate by the department in accordance with Iowa Code chapters 272C and 147A to practice as an emergency medical care provider in the state of Iowa.
"Cognitive examination" or "written examination" means the portion of the NREMT certification examination process evaluating the candidate's level of EMS knowledge.
"Compact" means the emergency medical services personnel licensure interstate compact according to Iowa Code chapter 147D. The compact facilitates the day-to-day movement of emergency medical services personnel across state boundaries in the performance of emergency medical services duties and authorizes the department to afford immediate permission to practice to emergency medical services personnel licensed in a member state.
"Complete criminal record" includes the complaint and judgment of conviction for each offense of which the applicant has been convicted, regardless of whether the offense is classified as a felony or a misdemeanor, and regardless of the jurisdiction in which the offense occurred.
"Conviction" means a finding, plea, or verdict of guilt made or returned in a criminal proceeding, even if the adjudication of guilt is deferred, withheld, or not entered. "Conviction" includes Alford pleas and pleas of nolo contendere.
"Core continuing education" means education obtained during a certification period to renew certification. Core continuing education shall have an assigned sponsor number from CAPCE, an authorized EMS training program, the board of nursing, the board of medicine or the department.
"Critical care paramedic" or "CCP" means a currently certified paramedic who has successfully completed a critical care course of instruction approved by the department and has received endorsement from the department as a critical care paramedic.
"Department" means the Iowa department of public health.
"Director" means the director of the Iowa department of public health.
"Disqualifying offense" means a conviction directly related to the duties and responsibilities of the profession. A conviction is directly related to the duties and responsibilities of the profession if either (1) the actions taken in furtherance of an offense are actions customarily performed within the scope of practice of a certified profession, or (2) the circumstances under which an offense was committed are circumstances customary to a certified profession.
"Emergency medical care" means any medical procedure authorized by Iowa Code chapter 147A and these rules.
"Emergency medical care provider" means an individual who has been trained to provide emergency and nonemergency medical care at the EMR, EMT, AEMT, paramedic, or other certification level recognized by the department before 2011 and has been issued a certificate by the department, or a person practicing in accordance with Iowa Code chapter 147D.
"Emergency medical care student" means an individual registered with the department and enrolled in an EMS training program with an active EMS student registration.
"Emergency medical responder" or "EMR" means an individual who has successfully completed a course of study based on the United States Department of Transportation's Emergency Medical Responder Instructional Guidelines (January 2009), has passed the psychomotor and cognitive examinations for the EMR, and is currently certified by the department as an EMR.
"Emergency medical services" or "EMS" means an integrated medical care delivery system to provide emergency and nonemergency medical care at the scene or during out-of-hospital patient transportation in an ambulance.
"Emergency medical technician" or "EMT" means an individual who has successfully completed a course of study based on the United States Department of Transportation's Emergency Medical Technician Instructional Guidelines (January 2009), has passed the psychomotor and cognitive examinations for the EMT, and is currently certified by the department as an EMT.
"Emergency medical technician-defibrillation" or "EMT-D" means an individual who has successfully completed an approved program and is currently certified by the department as an EMT-D.
"EMS clinical guidelines" or "minimum EMS clinical guidelines" means a minimum clinical standard approved by the department upon which a service program's medical director shall base service program protocols.
"EMS instructor" or "EMS-I" means an individual who has successfully completed an EMS instructor curriculum approved by the department and is currently endorsed by the department as an EMS-I.
"Endorsement" or "endorsed" means an approval granted by the department authorizing an individual to serve as an EMS-I or CCP.
"Fees" means those fees received pursuant to Iowa Code chapters 147A and 147D.
"First responder" or "FR" means an individual who has successfully completed an approved program and is currently certified by the department as an FR.
"First responder-defibrillation" or "FR-G" means an individual who has successfully completed an approved program and is currently certified by the department as a FR-G.
"NREMT" means the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. The NREMT provides a valid, uniform process to assess the knowledge and skills required for competent practice by EMS professionals.
"Paramedic" or "PM" means an individual who has successfully completed a course of study based on the United States Department of Transportation's Paramedic Instructional Guidelines (January 2009), has passed the psychomotor and cognitive examinations for the paramedic, and is currently certified by the department as a paramedic.
"Patient" means an individual who is sick, injured, or otherwise incapacitated and has been evaluated or provided treatment by an emergency medical care provider.
"Patient abandonment" means a termination of the provider/patient relationship at a time when a continuous level of care is needed. Patient abandonment does not occur when a scene is unsecured, deteriorates or becomes too dangerous for the emergency medical care provider to safely function. Patient abandonment does not occur when patient care is transferred to another emergency medical care provider following assessment or triage.
"Physician" means an individual licensed under Iowa Code chapter 148.
"Physician assistant" or "PA" means an individual licensed pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 148C.
"Protocols" means written directions and orders approved by a service program's medical director utilizing the EMS clinical guidelines.
"Psychomotor examination" or "practical examination" means the portion of the department-approved or NREMT certification examination process that evaluates the skill and procedure capabilities of the candidate.
"Registered nurse" or "RN" means an individual licensed pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 152.
"Service program" or "service" means any transport service or nontransport service, inclusive of associated satellites and service program affiliates, that has received full or conditional authorization from the department.
