Florida Statutes 401.252 – Interfacility transfer
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(1) When conducting an interfacility transfer, a permitted advanced life support ambulance must be occupied by at least two persons: one patient attendant who is a certified paramedic, a registered nurse authorized under subsection (2), or a licensed physician; and one who is a certified emergency medical technician, a certified paramedic, a licensed physician, or an ambulance driver who meets the driver requirements of s. 401.281. The person occupying the ambulance who has the highest medical certification in this state is in charge of patient care during the interfacility transfer.
(2) A licensed basic or advanced life support ambulance service may conduct interfacility transfers in a permitted ambulance using a registered nurse in place of an emergency medical technician or paramedic if:
(a) The registered nurse holds a current certificate of successful course completion in advanced cardiac life support;
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 401.252
- Advanced life support: means assessment or treatment by a person qualified under this part through the use of techniques such as endotracheal intubation, the administration of drugs or intravenous fluids, telemetry, cardiac monitoring, cardiac defibrillation, and other techniques described in the EMT-Paramedic National Standard Curriculum or the National EMS Education Standards, pursuant to rules of the department. See Florida Statutes 401.23
- Advanced life support service: means any emergency medical transport or nontransport service which uses advanced life support techniques. See Florida Statutes 401.23
- Ambulance driver: means any person who meets the requirements of…. See Florida Statutes 401.23
- Basic life support: means the assessment or treatment by a person qualified under this part through the use of techniques described in the EMT-Basic National Standard Curriculum or the National EMS Education Standards of the United States Department of Transportation and approved by the department. See Florida Statutes 401.23
- Certification: means any authorization issued pursuant to this part to a person to act as an emergency medical technician or a paramedic. See Florida Statutes 401.23
- Department: means the Department of Health. See Florida Statutes 401.23
- Emergency medical technician: means a person who is certified by the department to perform basic life support pursuant to this part. See Florida Statutes 401.23
- Interfacility transfer: means the transportation by ambulance of a patient between two facilities licensed under chapter 393, chapter 395, chapter 400, or chapter 429, pursuant to this part. See Florida Statutes 401.23
- Medical director: means a physician who is employed or contracted by a licensee and who provides medical supervision, including appropriate quality assurance but not including administrative and managerial functions, for daily operations and training pursuant to this part. See Florida Statutes 401.23
- Paramedic: means a person who is certified by the department to perform basic and advanced life support pursuant to this part. See Florida Statutes 401.23
- person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- Physician: means a practitioner who is licensed under the provisions of chapter 458 or chapter 459. See Florida Statutes 401.23
- Registered nurse: means a practitioner who is licensed to practice professional nursing pursuant to part I of chapter 464. See Florida Statutes 401.23
(b) The physician in charge has granted permission for such a transfer, has designated the level of service required for such transfer, and has deemed the patient to be in such a condition appropriate to this type of ambulance staffing; and
(c) The registered nurse operates within the scope of part I of chapter 464.
(3) A licensed basic or advanced life support service may conduct interfacility transfers in a permitted ambulance if the patient’s treating physician certifies that the transfer is medically appropriate and the physician provides reasonable transfer orders. An interfacility transfer must be conducted in a permitted ambulance if it is determined that the patient needs, or is likely to need, medical attention during transport. If the emergency medical technician or paramedic believes the level of patient care required during the transfer is beyond his or her capability, the medical director, or his or her designee, must be contacted for clearance prior to conducting the transfer. If necessary, the medical director, or his or her designee, shall attempt to contact the treating physician for consultation to determine the appropriateness of the transfer.
(4) Infants younger than 28 days old or weighing less than 5 kilograms who require critical care interfacility transport to a neonatal intensive care unit must be transported in a permitted advanced life support or basic life support transport ambulance, or in a permitted advanced life support or basic life support ambulance that is recognized by the department as meeting designated criteria for neonatal interfacility critical care transport.