(a) A local government or any licensed ambulance service may utilize one (1) or more of its employees licensed as a paramedic or critical care paramedic as its designated officer or officers for exposure control to perform infection control procedures necessary for prevention, exposure control and post-exposure evaluation on persons employed by that local government or licensed ambulance service as emergency response employees.
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 68-140-320

  • Ambulance: means any privately or publicly owned land or air vehicle that is especially designed, constructed or modified and equipped and is intended to be used for and is maintained or operated for transportation upon the streets, highways or airways in this state for persons who are sick, injured, wounded, otherwise incapacitated, helpless, or in need of medical care. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Ambulance service: means the principal use of any privately or publicly owned ambulance for the transportation of injured or infirm persons. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Director: means the director of the division of emergency medical services of the department. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Emergency medical services personnel: means individuals certified or licensed by the emergency medical services board in accordance with various categories and classifications of licenses or certificates that the board establishes. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Medical direction: means the supervision by a physician licensed to practice in the state of Tennessee of all medical aspects of patient care within EMS. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Service: means the provision of organized response by ambulances or emergency response vehicles, or the provision of emergency care on an organized basis. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
(b) For the purposes of this part, “emergency response employees” (EREs) include licensed emergency medical services personnel, certified emergency medical responders, and firefighters.
(c) All procedures authorized by this part shall be approved and performed under the medical direction of a Tennessee licensed physician.
(d) For the purposes of this part, infection control procedures shall include the following:

(1) Administering tuberculosis skin tests, influenza immunizations, hepatitis B immunizations, and other immunizations to EREs as ordered by the medical director;
(2) Conducting prevention, informational and education programs for EREs pertaining to airborne and bloodborne diseases; and
(3) Post-exposure evaluation of an ERE who may have been exposed to potentially life-threatening airborne or bloodborne diseases, including, but not limited to, tuberculosis, HIV or hepatitis B. The post-exposure evaluation shall consist of ascertaining information relative to the events regarding the perceived exposure, as well as assessing the degree or significance of the exposure for the purpose of informing the medical director. The medical director shall determine the potential public health risk and recommend the immediate course of action pertaining to the medical care of the ERE and any potential public health risk relative thereto. Further evaluation, treatment and follow-up of the ERE’s condition shall be performed at a licensed hospital or physician’s office.
(e) Nothing in this part shall relieve nor limit any entity employing EREs from the statutory obligations imposed under chapter 10 of this title, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1972, compiled in title 50, chapter 3, or from occupational safety and health standards promulgated pursuant to 29 CFR 1910.
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