New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 7 - HEALTH
Chapter 27 - EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
Part 6 - EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVANCE DIRECTIVES
Section 7.27.6.7 - DEFINITIONS

A. "Advance directive" means a written instruction, such as a living will, durable power of attorney for health care or emergency medical services do not resuscitate form recognizable under state law and relating to the provision of health care when an individual is incapacitated.

B. "Advanced Practice Nurse" means a registered nurse who has completed the required education and training and received state of New Mexico approval to practice as a certified nurse midwife or advanced practice registered nurse.

C. "Authorized health care decision maker" means a person authorized under a durable power of attorney to make health care decisions on behalf of another, a court-appointed guardian or the parent of a minor or any other person authorized by law to make health care decisions for another.

D. "Bureau" means the emergency medical systems bureau of the epidemiology and response division of the department.

E. "Capacity" means an individual's ability to understand and appreciate the nature and consequences of proposed health care, including its significant benefits, risks and alternatives to proposed health care and to make and communicate an informed health-care decision.

F. "Designee" means a registered nurse, social worker, or other person who is designated and authorized by a physician, advanced practice nurse, or physician assistant to explain an EMS DNR order to a person who may execute the order.

G. "Durable power of attorney" means a document executed according to the provisions of Sections 45-5-501 through 45-5-502 NMSA 1978 of the New Mexico Probate Code, which designates an individual to make health care decisions for the person executing the document, or an advance health-care directive executed according to the provisions of Sections 24-7A-1 through 24-7A-18 NMSA 1978 of the New Mexico Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act, which designates an agent or surrogate to make health care decisions for an individual.

H. "Emergency medical services (EMS)" means the services rendered by emergency medical technicians or certified emergency medical services first responders in response to an individual's need for immediate medical care to prevent loss of life or aggravation of physical or psychological illness or injury.

I. "EMS bracelet" means a bracelet, medallion or some other item of personal wear, approved by the bureau for indicating in a standard, readily-recognizable manner that the person has executed an EMS DNR order.

J. "EMS do not resuscitate (DNR) order" means an order issued by a physician, advanced practice nurse, or physician's assistant, and signed by the person or authorized health care decision maker, on a form approved by the bureau, indicating that resuscitative measures should not be performed.

K. "EMS personnel" means persons currently licensed or certified by the bureau to practice as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) or emergency medical services first responders in New Mexico.

L. "Medical control" means supervision provided by or under the direction of physicians to EMS personnel by written protocol or direct communications.

M. "New Mexico Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment (MOST) form" is a bureau approved advanced healthcare directive/healthcare decision that may be used either in conjunction with or as an alternative to the EMS DNR order; it must be signed by a physician, advanced practice nurse, or physician's assistant and by the patient or patient's healthcare decision maker.

N. "Physician" means a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy licensed or otherwise authorized to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine.

O. "Physician's Assistant (PA)" means a person who has received the education, training and approval from the State of New Mexico to practice as a PA in New Mexico

P. "Pre-hospital setting" means any setting outside of a hospital where EMS personnel are called for assistance, including but not limited to long term care facilities, private homes or during transport.