(a) In a rural population of 5,000 or fewer inhabitants, each EMS System Medical Director may create an exception to the credentialing process to allow registered nurses, physician assistants, and advanced practice registered nurses to apply to serve as volunteers who perform the same work as EMTs. As part of the volunteer recognition process, EMS Systems shall ensure that registered nurses, physician assistants, and advanced practice registered nurses have an active license issued by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. This system-level recognition shall require documentation and proof of the completion of at least 20 hours of prehospital care-specific coursework approved by the Department of Public Health, including, but not limited to, airway management, ambulance operation, ambulance equipment, extrication, telecommunication, prehospital cardiac and trauma care, and 8 hours of observant riding time. Each EMS System Medical Director who creates an exception to the credentialing process under this Section may require additional training or documentation and may reject a volunteer applicant under this Section for just cause. Each exemption period shall be no longer than one year, after which time a volunteer applicant may apply for another exemption under this Section. Each EMS System Medical Director is responsible for ensuring that volunteer applicants meet EMS System requirements for credentialing and authorizing the practice in accordance with the EMS System plan for basic life support. Exceptions to the credentialing process under this Section are only allowable for volunteer EMS agencies in Illinois.
     (b) The Department of Public Health may adopt rules to implement this Section.