Texas EMTs and Medics who work standby events, please read!

[firespec35]

I've worked for a company that does standby's as our only business as an EMT/ EMT-S for the last 11 years. I've been around the company since I was 13 (29 now). Whether TDH is right or not you have to look at something else. You have no medical direction. You are providing BLS level service, correct? So you backboard people, give O2 ect...., When you get end up in court, and yes it's a sad eventuality in this proffession most of us will end up in court at one time or another. The opposing lawyer will have a field day with this. Do you have protocols? are they your own or the local med control's policy. What is your reporting. Do you use a local med control form or your own. If you use your own who approved it? For me too many holes that could end up in me on the witness stand. Don't fight the power it's not worth it. Just get licensed and all will be well.

[txmedic1752]

While this is now an older topic, at the time this was done, there were several things going on with rules. For a while BLS only providers didn't have to have a medical director, this has changed. You don't have to be certified to take vitals, bandage or splint, as this is taught in a first class similar to the first responder course that was given by Red Cross.

If you are providing treatment then you must be licensed under rule 157.11 which is the EMS provider rule. If you are certified and providing care for the track, this would mean the entire track, so if you had a cardiac and not the right equipment even at the BLS level, you are responsible.

When you say "non-emergency" are you talking about "gurney cars/stretcher vans"? All EMS providers in Texas Emergency and non-emergency providers have ALSO had to be licensed by TDH, now DSHS. If you only did stand-bys and used an ambulance, you had to be a licensed provider. If you did non-emergency from hospital to nursing home and used an ambulance, you had to be licensed. Now even stretcher vans are semi-regulated by DSHS.

FRO's or First Responders Organizations are the only ones that don't have to be licensed, nor EMS certified. You can provide BLS level of care as a FRO and not be licensed. Most are licensed under the EMS provider they first respond for as either BLS or ALS, and they must have a medical director and protocols.

I have to disagree with the flight medic from Houston, 2 ECA's, EMT's, EMT-I or EMTP can provide basic first aid, but anything advanced is practicing medicine without a license or without medical control/supervison for a physician with standing protocols.

Under 157.11, you were working on an unlicensed ambulance, TDH/DSHS can view the rules in many ways.

I work for a special event medical provider and we are a licensed EMS provider with protocols, medical director, etc just like any Texas EMS provider. BLS provider are now required to have a medical director.

[mikeymedic1984]

My state recently "clarified" their rules pertaining to another situation, but is relevant to this one. Dialysis ambulance services were not providing 24/7 coverage, and were only open during dialysis hours (and barely equiped as ambulances). The State clarified and stated that an ambulance is an ambulance and that there were no different rules for ambulances that did not do 911. Therefore any vehicle that is licensed as an ambulance must operate as such regardless of the type of call volume they handled. If your "standby" ambulance does not transport, then lose it, and come with bicycles and jump bags. But my guess is you need the vehicle to earn the $$$, therefore the vehicle should be licensed and staffed according to State rules and regs.