§ 1023.28. Prehospital registered nurse.
(a) Roles and responsibilities. A PHRN performs for an EMS agency basic and advanced EMS skills and additional skills within the scope of practice of a registered nurse under The Professional Nursing Law (63 P. S. § § 211—225.5) as follows:
(1) As a member of the crew of an ambulance or squad vehicle.
(2) As a member of a QRS to stabilize and improve a patient’s condition in an out-of-hospital emergency until an ambulance arrives at the scene. The PHRN may then assist the ambulance crew.
(3) As a member of a special operations EMS service.
(4) As a first aid or safety officer, or in a similar capacity.
(b) Certification. The Department will certify as a PHRN an individual who meets the following qualifications:
(1) Completes an application for PHRN certification on a form or through an electronic process, as prescribed by the Department.
(2) Has a current license as a registered nurse with the State Board of Nursing.
(3) Is 18 years of age or older.
(4) Has a current certificate evidencing successful completion of a CPR course acceptable to the Department.
(5) Has passed a practical test of PHRN skills for PHRN certification approved by the Department.
(6) Has passed a written test of PHRN skills for PHRN certification approved by the Department.
(c) Biennial registration.
(1) When a PHRN certification is issued it is deemed registered through December 31 of that year, if it is issued in an odd-numbered year, or through December 31 of the next odd-numbered year, if it is issued in an even-numbered year. Thereafter, a PHRN shall biennially register the certification by completing a form or through an electronic process, as prescribed by the Department. A PHRN shall submit the form or complete the electronic process at least 30 days prior to the expiration of a current registration. Failure to do so in a timely manner may result in the PHRN certification not being registered again before the prior registration expires. The Department will issue a new registration within 30 days after the PHRN completes the form or the electronic process if the information provided establishes that the PHRN has satisfied the following:
(i) Has a current registered nurse license or current registration of that license.
(ii) Has completed the continuing education requirements for biennial registration of a PHRN certification in § 1023.31(f) (relating to continuing education requirements).
(2) A PHRN who is a member of the armed forces who is returning from active military service and whose PHRN registration has expired or will expire within 12 months after returning from active military service may secure an exception to the biennial registration requirements under § 1023.21(d) (relating to general rights and responsibilities).
(d) Scope of practice. A PHRN may perform skills within a paramedic’s scope of practice and other skills authorized by The Professional Nursing Law, when authorized by a medical command physician or the applicable Statewide or Department-approved EMS protocol. A PHRN who has not been educated in a skill within a paramedic’s scope of practice may not perform that skill unless and until the PHRN has received education to perform the skill and is able to document having received the education as required under § 1023.27(d)(2) (relating to paramedic) or otherwise documents having received the education to competently perform the skill.
Source The provisions of this § 1023.28 adopted October 11, 2013, effective April 10, 2014, 43 Pa.B. 6093.
Cross References This section cited in 28 Pa. Code § 1023.31 (relating to continuing education requirements).
No part of the information on this site may be reproduced for profit or sold for profit.
This material has been drawn directly from the official Pennsylvania Code full text database. Due to the limitations of HTML or differences in display capabilities of different browsers, this version may differ slightly from the official printed version.
