Section 515.940  Aeromedical Crew Member Training Requirements

 

a)         Except as provided for by subsection (b) of this Section, each aeromedical crew member assigned to a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft shall be approved by the Medical Director and shall meet the following requirements:

 

1)         Be an EMT-P, registered nurse or a physician.

 

2)         Each crew member must be current in, or obtain within six months of hire:

 

A)        Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

 

B)        Basic Trauma Life Support (BTLS) or Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS)

 

C)        Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) or Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC)

 

D)        Trauma Nurse Specialist (TNS) or Trauma Nurse Core Curriculum

 

E)         Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)

 

3)         Initial training program requirements for full-time and part-time Critical Care and ALS providers.  Each Critical Care and ALS provider must successfully complete a comprehensive training program or show proof of recent experience/training in the categories listed below prior to assuming independent responsibility.

 

A)        Didactic Component - Shall be specified and appropriate for the mission statement and scope of the medical transport service:

 

i)          Advanced airway management.

 

ii)         Altitude physiology/stressors of flight if involved in rotor wing or fixed wing operations.

 

iii)         Anatomy, physiology and assessment for adult, pediatric and neonatal patients.

 

iv)        Aviation - aircraft orientation/safety and in-flight procedures/general aircraft safety including depressurization procedures for fixed wing (as appropriate). Ambulance orientation/ safety and procedures as appropriate.

 

v)         Cardiac emergencies and advanced cardiac critical care.

 

vi)        Hemodynamic monitoring, pacemakers, automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator (AICD), intra-aortic balloon pump, and central lines, pulmonary artery and arterial catheters.

 

vii)        Disaster and triage.

 

viii)       EMS radio communications.

 

ix)        Environmental emergencies.

 

x)         Hazardous materials recognition and response.

 

xi)        High risk obstetric emergencies (bleeding, medical, and trauma).

 

xii)        Infection control.

 

xiii)       Metabolic/endocrine emergencies.

 

xiv)       Multi-trauma (chest, abdomen, facial).

 

xv)       Neonatal emergencies (respiratory distress, surgical, cardiac).

 

xvi)       Oxygen therapy in the medical transport environment - Mechanical ventilation and respiratory physiology for adult, pediatric and neonatal patients as appropriate to the mission statement and scope of care of the medical transport service.

 

xvii)      Pediatric medical emergencies.

 

xviii)     Pediatric trauma.

 

xix)       Pharmacology.

 

xx)       Quality Management - Didactic education that supports the medical transport service mission statement and scope of care (e.g., adult, pediatric, neonatal).

 

xxi)       Respiratory emergencies.

 

xxii)      Scene management/rescue/extrication (rotor wing and ground ambulance).

 

xxiii)     Stress recognition and management.

 

xxiv)     Survival training.

 

xxv)      Record keeping.

 

xxvi)     Thermal, chemical and electrical burns.

 

xxvii)    Legal aspects.

 

xxviii)   Toxicology.

 

B)        Clinical Component - Clinical experiences shall include, but not be limited to, the following (experiences shall be specific and appropriate for the mission statement and scope of care of the medical transport service):

 

i)          Critical care.

 

ii)         Emergency care.

 

iii)         Invasive procedures or mannequin equivalent for practicing invasive procedures.

 

iv)        Neonatal intensive care.

 

v)         Obstetrics - five deliveries.

 

vi)        Pediatric critical care.

 

vii)        Pre-hospital care, for rotor wing programs only.

 

viii)       Tracheal intubations - 10 on live patients.

 

4)         Continuing education/staff development must be provided and documented for all full-time and part-time Critical Care and ALS providers. These shall be specific and appropriate for the mission statement and scope of care of the medical transport service.

 

A)        Didactic continuing education must include:

 

i)          Aviation - safety issues (if involved in rotor wing or fixed wing operations).

 

ii)         State EMS rules regarding ground and air transport.

 

iii)         Altitude physiology/stressors of flight (if involved in both rotor wing and fixed wing operations).

 

iv)        Critical care courses.

 

v)         Emergency care courses.

 

vi)        Hazardous materials recognition and response.

 

vii)        Infection control.

 

viii)       Stress recognition and management.

 

ix)        Survival training.

 

x)         Equipment reviews consistent with program scope and mission.

 

B)        Clinical and laboratory continuing education must include:

 

i)          Emergency/trauma care.

 

ii)         Critical care (adult, pediatric, neonatal).

 

iii)         Invasive procedure labs.

 

iv)        Labor and delivery.

 

v)         Pre-hospital experience, for rotor wing programs only.

 

vi)        Skills maintenance program documented to comply with number of skills required in a set period of time according to policy of the medical transport service (i.e., endotracheal intubations, chest tubes).

 

vii)        Since endotracheal intubation is an essential life saving measure, no less than five live successful intubations per year are required for each Critical Care or ALS provider.  Success rates for all live intubations are documented and monitored through the quality management process.

 

viii)       Live, mannequin or cadaver intubation experience within the following age ranges if served by the air medical/ground interfacility service: birth to 12 months; 12 months to 6 years; and 6 years and older.

 

5)         Yearly completion of the continuing education requirements as described in Section 515.930(d) of this Part.

 

b)         In addition to at least one aeromedical crew member for Basic Life Support who has met the requirements of subsection (a) of this Section, and two aeromedical crew members, one of whom must be an R.N. or licensed physician, for Advanced Life Support or critical care transport missions who have met the requirements of subsection (a) of this Section, the Medical Director may approve and assign additional crew members to a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft.  Such additional crew members shall meet the following requirements:

 

1)         Provide documentation of completion of training that includes but is not limited to the following:

 

A)        General patient care in-flight,

 

B)        Aircraft emergencies,

 

C)        Flight safety,

 

D)        EMS System and SEMSV Program communications,

 

E)         Use of all patient care equipment, and

 

F)         Rescue and survival techniques.

 

2)         Yearly completion of the continuing education requirements as described in Section 515.930(d) of this Part.

 

(Source:  Amended at 24 Ill. Reg. 19218, effective December 15, 2000)