Arizona Laws 36-2204.02. Emergency medical services providers; investigations
A. In lieu of the requirements of section 36-2211, the director may authorize an ambulance service or emergency medical services provider to investigate, discipline or determine the fitness of an employee to continue to provide patient care. This authority does not apply to the conviction of, a plea of guilty or no contest to or admission in a court proceeding to the elements of a felony. The employer listed on the emergency medical care technician‘s or ambulance attendant‘s certification or recertification application may limit the practice of the emergency medical care technician or ambulance attendant during the investigation if the employer meets all of the following requirements:
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 36-2204.02
- Allegation: something that someone says happened.
- Ambulance attendant: means any of the following:
(a) An emergency medical technician, an advanced emergency medical technician, an emergency medical technician I-99 or a paramedic whose primary responsibility is the care of patients in an ambulance and who meets the standards and criteria adopted pursuant to section 36-2204. See Arizona Laws 36-2201
- Ambulance service: means a person who owns and operates one or more ambulances. See Arizona Laws 36-2201
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Director: means the director of the department of health services. See Arizona Laws 36-2201
- Emergency medical care technician: means an individual who has been certified by the department as an emergency medical technician, an advanced emergency medical technician, an emergency medical technician I-99 or a paramedic. See Arizona Laws 36-2201
- Emergency medical services: means those services required following an accident or an emergency medical situation:
(a) For on-site emergency medical care. See Arizona Laws 36-2201
- Emergency medical services provider: means any governmental entity, quasi-governmental entity or corporation whether public or private that renders emergency medical services in this state. See Arizona Laws 36-2201
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
- Trauma system: means an integrated and organized arrangement of health care resources having the specific capability to perform triage, transport and provide care. See Arizona Laws 36-2201
1. Has separate investigative or supervisory staff to conduct an investigation.
2. Has an employee assistance program for counseling.
3. Has policies and procedures for drug testing through urinalysis or other generally accepted methods.
4. Has policies and procedures for monitoring of personnel who are suspected of or who have been convicted of substance abuse.
B. An ambulance service or emergency medical services provider that conducts its own disciplinary investigations pursuant to subsection A of this section shall report the following to the medical director of the emergency medical services and trauma system:
1. The nature of the allegation.
2. The level of patient care being delivered by the employee and the supervision of the employee during the investigation or rehabilitative period, or both.
3. The final outcome of the investigation and the final recommendation on the employee’s certification status.
C. The decisions of the employer are appealable under the employer’s personnel policies and procedures. Except as provided in Section 41-1092.08, subsection H, the final administrative decisions of the director are subject to judicial review pursuant to Title 12, Chapter 7, Article 6.