Legislation Reform

Congratulations to our Paramedics!

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Biggest change is Paramedics in the State of New Jersey are now officially licensed not certified!

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Here is a breakdown of the original bill in simple terms:

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1. It allows medics to now work within their scope of practice on a Specialty Care Transport Unit (SCTU) (Page 1, Line 32, Section g.)

2. It changes the wording of the statute so that medics are now licensed instead of certified. While at first glance this is not that big of a deal it actually matters quite a lot when it comes to hospital pay scales. (Page 1, Line 38, Section h.)

3. It now requires that the medical director of an ALS Agency, now titled "Agency EMS Medical Director", must be board certified in either Emergency Medicine or Emergency Medical Services. (Page 2, Line 15)

4. It permits Mobile Integrated Health Programs such as community paramedicine. It further states that this role can be filled by paramedics, PAs, and APNs (Page 2, Line 19)

5. It seems that now the commissioner "shall" issue NJ MICP cards to people with an NREMT NRP card instead of "may" issue. (Page 4, Line 5)

6. It seems that now paramedics would be authorized to work within their scope of practice in a pre-hospital setting, any other hospital controlled setting within a Mobile Intensive Care Hospital. (Page 4, Line 41)

7. Agency medical directors can now authorize medics to operate within their scope of practice outside of a MICU in situations directly related to EMS first response or MIH capacity. However, a single responder medic is not classified as a MICU. (Page 4, Line 48)

8. Gives a wide range of scope to be determined by the agency medical director for MIH programs. (Page 5 Line 7)

9. Adds in that trauma centers get the first crack at MICU programs within their respective areas (Page 5, Line 24)

10. Allows for a MICU to be staffed by 1 medic or nurse and 1 EMT. (Page 5, Line 36)

11. Removes standing orders and protocols from statute and permits Agency Medical Directors to create their own protocols. (Page 6, Line 9)

12. Authorizes MDs, DOs, APNs, and PAs to get on MICUs (Page 6, Line 19)

13. Creates a state medical director for NJ with a preference for those board-certified in Emergency Medical Services. This state medical director chairs the MAC and is also the final say on clinical issues. The director of OEMS now deals only with non-clinical issues, rules, and regulations. (Page 7, Line 25)