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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the scope of duties of an emergency medical |
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technician-paramedic and a licensed paramedic. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 773, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 773.0496 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 773.0496. SCOPE OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL |
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TECHNICIAN-PARAMEDIC AND LICENSED PARAMEDIC DUTIES. (a) In this |
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section: |
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(1) "Advanced life support" means health care provided |
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to sustain life in an emergency, life-threatening situation. The |
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term includes the initiation of intravenous therapy, endotracheal |
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or esophageal intubation, electrical cardiac defibrillation or |
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cardioversion, and drug therapy procedures. |
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(2) "Direct supervision" means supervision of an |
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emergency medical technician-paramedic or licensed paramedic by a |
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licensed physician who is present in the same area or an area |
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adjacent to the area where an emergency medical |
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technician-paramedic or licensed paramedic performs a procedure |
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and who is immediately available to provide assistance and |
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direction during the performance of the procedure. |
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(b) Notwithstanding other law, a person who is certified |
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under this chapter as an emergency medical technician-paramedic or |
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a licensed paramedic, is acting under the delegation and direct |
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supervision of a licensed physician, and is authorized to provide |
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advanced life support by a health care facility may in accordance |
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with department rules provide advanced life support in the |
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facility's emergency or urgent care clinical setting, including a |
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hospital emergency room and a freestanding emergency medical care |
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facility. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt any rules necessary to implement |
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Section 773.0496, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |