Terms used in this chapter mean:

(1) “Advanced life support,” a level of emergency care consisting of basic life support procedures and definitive therapy including the use of invasive procedures and may include the use of drugs and manual defibrillation;

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(2) “Advanced life support personnel,” any person other than a physician who has completed a department and board approved program and is licensed or holds a privilege as an emergency medical technician-intermediate/85; emergency medical technician-intermediate/99; emergency medical technician-advanced; or emergency medical technician-paramedic as set forth in this chapter, or its equivalent;

(3) “Board,” the South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners;

(4) “Department,” the South Dakota State Department of Health;

(5) “Direct medical control,” communications between field personnel and a physician during an emergency run;

(6) “Emergency medical services,” health care provided to the patient by advanced life support personnel licensed pursuant to this chapter;

(7) “Emergency medical technician-advanced,” any person who has successfully completed a program of study approved by the department and the board in all areas of training and skills set forth in the advanced emergency medical technician instructional guidelines and standards, including placement of esophageal and supraglottic airways, intravenous cannulation, shock management, administration of specific medications, and other advanced skills approved by the board, and who is licensed by the board to perform such advanced skills;

(8) “Emergency medical technician/EMT,” any person trained in emergency medical care in accordance with standards prescribed by rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to § 34-11-6, who provides emergency medical services, including automated external defibrillation under indirect medical control, in accordance with the person’s level of training;

(9) “Emergency medical technician-intermediate/85,” any person who has successfully completed a department- and board-approved program of instruction in basic life support and advanced life support skills in shock and fluid therapy, placement of esophageal airways, and other advanced life support skills approved by board action, and who is licensed by the board to perform such skills, including automated external defibrillation;

(10) “Emergency medical technician-paramedic,” any person who has successfully completed a program of study approved by the department and the board and is licensed as an emergency medical technician-paramedic, which includes all training and skills set forth herein for emergency medical technician-intermediate/85 and emergency medical technician-intermediate/99, and other advanced skills programs approved by board action, and who is licensed by the board to perform such intermediate, special, and advanced skills;

(11) “Emergency medical technician-intermediate/99,” any person who has successfully completed a department- and board-approved program of instruction in all areas of emergency medical technician-intermediate/85 curriculum plus other specific areas of emergency medical care in the following areas: manual and automated external defibrillation, telemetered electrocardiography, administration of cardiac drugs, administration of specific medications and solutions, use of adjunctive breathing devices, advanced trauma care, tracheotomy suction, esophageal airways and endotracheal intubation, intraosseous infusion, or other special skills programs approved by board action, and who is licensed by the board to perform intermediate skills plus such special skills;

(12) “Epinephrine auto-injector,” a spring-loaded needle and syringe with a single dose of epinephrine that will automatically release and inject the medicine, any similar automatic pre-filled cartridge injector, or any similar automatic injectable equipment;

(13) “Good faith,” honesty, in fact, in the conduct, or transaction concerned;

(14) “Gross negligence,” the intentional failure to perform a manifest duty in reckless disregard of the consequences as affecting the life or health of another;

(15) “Hour of advanced life support studies,” fifty minutes of training;

(16) “Indirect medical control,” the establishment and implementation of system policies and procedures, such as medical treatment protocols, quality assurance programs and case reviews by a physician licensed in South Dakota;

(17) “Local government,” any county, municipality, township, or village in this state;

(18) “Medical community,” the physicians and medical resources located and available within a geographic area;

(19) “Medical emergency,” an event affecting an individual in such a manner that a need for immediate medical care is created;

(20) “Patient,” an individual who, as a result of illness or injury, needs medical attention; and

(21) “Prehospital care,” those emergency medical services rendered to patients in an out-of-hospital setting, administered for analytic, stabilizing, or preventive purposes.

Source: SL 1978, ch 269, § 1; SL 1987, ch 268, § 1; SL 1991, ch 302, §§ 1-3; SL 1992, ch 268, § 1; SL 2003, ch 198, § 1; SL 2004, ch 17, § 232; SL 2007, ch 208, § 1; SL 2011, ch 177, § 1; SL 2015, ch 277 (Ex. Ord. 15-1), § 33, eff. Apr. 20, 2015; SL 2021, ch 172, § 1; SL 2022, ch 144, § 1; SL 2022, ch 145, § 3.