N.M. Code R. § 7.27.3.7 – Definitions

A. “Academy” means the emergency medical services training program administered through the department of emergency medicine at the university of New Mexico school of medicine.
B. “Advanced directive” means a written instruction, such as living will or durable power of attorney for health care, recognizable under state law and relating to the provision of health care when a person is incapacitated.
C. “Advanced life support (ALS)” means advanced pre-hospital and inter-facility care and treatment, including basic and intermediate life support, as prescribed by regulation, which may be performed only by a person licensed as a paramedic by the bureau and operating under medical control.
D. “Basic life support (BLS)” means pre-hospital and inter-facility care and treatment, as prescribed by regulation, which can be performed by all licensed emergency medical technicians.
E. “Board-certified” means a physician who has obtained emergency medicine certification by a recognized board of medicine.
F. “Bureau” means the injury prevention and emergency medical services bureau of the public health division of the department.
G. “Commission” means the New Mexico emergency medical services licensing commission appointed by the secretary.
H. “Committee” means the medical direction committee of the bureau.
I. “Consulting pharmacist” means a pharmacist whose services are engaged on a routine part-time basis by an EMS service:
(1) to assist in drawing up correct procedures, rules and regulations for the distribution of dangerous drugs;
(2) to assume the overall responsibility for the system of control and distribution of drugs;
(3) to see that a designated person has the responsibility for day-to-day operation of the EMS service’s dangerous drug supplies; and
(4) to visit the EMS service on a regularly scheduled basis in the course of his/her duties.
J. “Controlled substance” means any drug, substance or immediate precursor enumerated in Schedules I through V of the Controlled Substance Act, Section 30-31-1, et seq. NMSA 1978.
K. “Dangerous drug” means a drug that is determined by law to be unsafe for self-medication and that is enumerated in the New Mexico Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, Section 26-1-1, et seq. NMSA 1978.
L. “Department” means the New Mexico department of health.
M. “EMS medical director” means a physician who is responsible for all aspects of patient care for an EMS system or EMS provider service, including providing for or ensuring the medical control of EMS providers; the development, implementation, evaluation of medical protocols; and oversight of quality assurance activities.
N. “Emergency medical dispatcher” means a person who is trained and certified pursuant to Subsection G of Section 24-10B-4 NMSA 1978 to receive calls for emergency medical assistance, provide pre-arrival medical instructions, dispatch emergency medical assistance and coordinate its response.
O. “Emergency medical service (EMS)” means the services rendered by licensed emergency medical technicians, certified emergency medical services first responders or emergency medical dispatchers in response to a person’s need for immediate medical care to prevent loss of life or aggravation of physical or psychological illness or injury.
P. “Emergency medical technician (EMT)” means a health care provider who has been certified or licensed to practice by the bureau.
Q. “Intermediate life support (ILS)” means certain advanced pre-hospital and inter-facility care and treatment, including basic life support, as prescribed by regulation, which may be performed only by a person licensed by the bureau and operating under medical control.
R. “Jumpkits” means portable carrying devices that contain emergency medical equipment and/or approved quantities of dangerous drugs and controlled substances that are in the possession of a licensed emergency provider and whose contents are authorized by the service’s EMS medical director.
S. “Medical control” means supervision provided by or under the direction of physicians to providers by written protocol or direct communications.
T. “Medical direction” means guidance or supervision provided by a physician to a provider or emergency medical services system and which includes authority over and responsibility for emergency medical dispatch, direct patient care and transport of patients, arrangements for medical control and all other aspects of patient care delivered by a provider.
U. “New Mexico board of pharmacy” means the authorized board established by the New Mexico Pharmacy Act to regulate pharmaceutical practices in the state of New Mexico.
V. “Physician” means a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy who is licensed or otherwise authorized to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine in New Mexico.
W. “Protocols” means predetermined, written medical care plans and includes standing orders.
X. “Provider” means a person or entity delivering emergency medical services in New Mexico.
Y. “Secretary” means the secretary of the department.
Z. “Scope of practice” means a listing of skills, techniques and medications allowed for use by each level of life support in New Mexico.
AA. “Special Skills” means a set of procedures or therapies that are beyond the usual scope of practice of a given level of life support and that have been approved by the medical direction committee for use by a specified provider.
BB. “Standing Orders” means strictly defined written orders for actions, techniques or drug administration, signed by a physician, to be utilized when an on-line medical control physician is not available.
[3/16/95, 1/1/97, 4/1/98; Recompiled 10/31/01]