EMS Providers Working in Hospitals and Other Health Care Settings
The statute governing licensed EMS providers limits prehospital care to "care rendered by EMS providers as an incident of the operation of an ambulance and care rendered by EMS providers as incidents of other public or private safety duties, and includes, but is not limited to, emergency care." ORS 682.025(11). In addition, the “Scope of Practice" is defined as “the maximum level of emergency or nonemergency care that an emergency medical services provider may provide." ORS 682.025(12).
An EMS provider can work as an employee in a hospital or other health care setting and the job description and expectations are set by the employer. In this situation, the EMS provider may perform any assigned job duties, including critical care responses. While the EMS
scope of practice (OAR Chapter 847, Division 035) is a good example of the education and training of EMS providers, it does not apply in a non-prehospital setting. It does not however limit or otherwise affect the individual's employment or job description except that the individual may not use his or her title or licensure as an EMS provider.
- Hospitals wishing to utilize EMS providers to augment their workforce may contact local EMS agencies to request those providers directly or may request them as a state resource through
County OEM.
- Hospitals that have pre-existing contracts with
Oregon EMS provider schools as clinical training sites, may directly contact those programs, and request that the trainees be utilized to augment the current workforce.
- Hospitals that wish to become training sites for Oregon EMS provider schools should contact their local Oregon EMS provider schools directly to establish contracts.
- Hospitals may confirm
here that an EMS provider's license is current and in good standing. All Oregon licensed EMS providers have criminal background checks performed with initial licensure and every two years thereafter during license renewal.
For questions contact the Oregon Health Authority EMS & Trauma Systems program at
EMS.TRAUMA@dhsoha.state.or.us.
EMS Providers Emergency Scope of Practice Change
In the event of an emergency declared by the Governor of Oregon, Emergency Medical Service providers may assist in patient care as directed by the supervising physician's standing orders and within the protocols established by the State of Oregon EMS Medical Director during the period of the declared emergency, subject to such limitations and conditions as the Governor or Oregon Medical Board may prescribe. These protocols are only valid during the declared emergency in Oregon. Please contact the Oregon Health Authority
EMS & Trauma Systems program at
EMS.TRAUMA@dhsoha.state.or.us for information on current protocols.
In December, 2021 the Oregon Medical Board adopted a rule that that allows an EMT, AEMT, EMT-I, and Paramedic to prepare and administer immunizations under the EMS agency's supervising physician's standing order: (1) in the event of an outbreak or epidemic as part of an emergency immunization program, under the agency's supervising physician's standing order; and (2) for seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccinations according to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and/or the Oregon State Public Health Officer's recommended immunization guidelines. The rule requires that prior to vaccine administration, the provider must be trained by the supervising physician or their designee. Also, the provider and the EMS agency or employer must maintain records of training, see OAR 847-035-0030(9)(o) and (p).