65-6120. Emergency medical technician-intermediate, advanced emergency medical technician, authorized activities; emergency medical technician-intermediate/defibrillator, transition course. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, an emergency medical technician-intermediate may:

(1) Perform any of the activities identified by K.S.A. 65-6121(a), and amendments thereto;

(2) when approved by medical protocols or where voice contact by radio or telephone is monitored by a physician, physician assistant where authorized by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse where authorized by a physician or professional nurse where authorized by a physician, and direct communication is maintained, upon order of such person, may perform veni-puncture for the purpose of blood sampling collection and initiation and maintenance of intravenous infusion of saline solutions, dextrose and water solutions or ringers lactate IV solutions, endotracheal intubation and administration of nebulized albuterol;

(3) perform, during an emergency, those activities specified in subsection (a)(2) before contacting the persons identified in subsection (a)(2) when specifically authorized to perform such activities by medical protocols; or

(4) perform, during nonemergency transportation, those activities specified in this section when specifically authorized to perform such activities by medical protocols.

(b) An individual who holds a valid certificate as an emergency medical technician-intermediate once successfully completing the board prescribed transition course, and validation of cognitive and psychomotor competency as determined by rules and regulations of the board, may apply to transition to become an advanced emergency medical technician. Alternatively, upon application for renewal, such individual shall be deemed to hold a certificate as an advanced emergency medical technician under this act, provided such individual has completed all continuing education hour requirements inclusive of the successful completion of a transition course and such individual shall not be required to file an original application for certification as an advanced emergency medical technician under this act.

(c) "Renewal" as used in subsection (b), refers to the first or second opportunity after December 31, 2011, that an emergency medical technician-intermediate has to apply for renewal of a certificate.

(d) Emergency medical technician-intermediates who fail to meet the transition requirements as specified may complete either the board prescribed emergency medical technician transition course or emergency medical responder transition course, provide validation of cognitive and psychomotor competency and all continuing education hour requirements inclusive of the successful completion of a transition course as determined by rules and regulations of the board. Upon completion, such emergency medical technician-intermediate may apply to transition to become an emergency medical technician or an emergency medical responder, depending on the transition course that was successfully completed. Alternatively, upon application for renewal of an emergency medical technician-intermediate certificate, the applicant shall be renewed as an emergency medical technician or an emergency medical responder, depending on the transition course that was successfully completed. Such individual shall not be required to file an original application for certification as an emergency medical technician or emergency medical responder.

(e) Failure to successfully complete either an advanced emergency medical technician transition course, an emergency medical technician transition course or emergency medical responder transition course will result in loss of certification.

(f) Upon transition, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, an advanced emergency medical technician may:

(1) Perform any of the activities identified by K.S.A. 65-6121, and amendments thereto; and

(2) perform any of the following interventions, by use of the devices, medications and equipment, or any combination thereof, as specifically identified in rules and regulations, after successfully completing an approved course of instruction, local specialized device training and competency validation and when authorized by medical protocols, or upon order when direct communication is maintained by radio, telephone or video conference with a physician, physician assistant where authorized by a physician, an advanced practice registered nurse where authorized by a physician, or professional nurse where authorized by a physician upon order of such a person: (A) Advanced airway management; (B) referral of patient of alternate medical care site based on assessment; (C) transportation of a patient with a capped arterial line; (D) veni-puncture for obtaining blood sample; (E) initiation and maintenance of intravenous infusion or saline lock; (F) initiation of intraosseous infusion; (G) nebulized therapy; (H) manual defibrillation; (I) cardiac monitoring; (J) electrocardiogram interpretation; (K) monitoring of a nasogastric tube; (L) administration of medications by methods as specified by rules and regulations of the board.

(g) An individual who holds a valid certificate as both an emergency medical technician-intermediate and as an emergency medical technician-defibrillator once successfully completing the board prescribed transition course, and validation of cognitive and psychomotor competency as determined by rules and regulations of the board, may apply to transition to an advanced emergency medical technician. Alternatively, upon application for renewal, such individual shall be deemed to hold a certificate as an advanced emergency medical technician under this act, provided such individual has completed all continuing education hour requirements inclusive of successful completion of a transition course, and such individual shall not be required to file an original application for certification as an advanced emergency medical technician under this act.

(h) "Renewal" as used in subsection (g), refers to the first or second opportunity after December 31, 2011, that an emergency medical technician-intermediate and emergency medical technician-defibrillator has to apply for renewal of a certificate.

(i) An individual who holds both an emergency medical technician-intermediate certificate and an emergency medical technician-defibrillator certificate, who fails to meet the transition requirements as specified may complete either the board prescribed emergency medical technician transition course or emergency medical responder transition course, and provide validation of cognitive and psychomotor competency and all continuing education hour requirements inclusive of successful completion of a transition course as determined by rules and regulations of the board. Upon completion, such individual may apply to transition to become an emergency medical technician or emergency medical responder, depending on the transition course that was successfully completed. Alternatively, upon application for renewal of an emergency medical technician-intermediate certificate and an emergency medical technician-defibrillator certificate, the applicant shall be renewed as an emergency medical technician or an emergency medical responder, depending on the transition course that was successfully completed. Such individual shall not be required to file an original application for certification as an emergency medical technician or emergency medical responder.

(j) Failure to successfully complete either the advanced emergency medical technician transition requirements, an emergency medical technician transition course or the emergency medical responder transition course will result in loss of certification.

History: L. 1988, ch. 261, § 20; L. 1991, ch. 203, § 3; L. 1994, ch. 154, § 3; L. 1998, ch. 133, § 6; L. 2004, ch. 117, § 11; L. 2010, ch. 119, § 4; L. 2011, ch. 114, § 83; L. 2011, ch. 114, § 61; L. 2016, ch. 35, § 4; July 1.