N.J. Admin. Code § 8:41A-4.4

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 8:41A-4.4 - Expired certifications

(a) The requirements for certification of a person formerly certified as an EMT-Paramedic who has allowed that certification to expire (that is, a person who, for whatever reason, has not completed the required number of continuing education credits necessary for recertification) are as follows:

1. Sponsorship of a mobile intensive care hospital;

2. Possession of EMT-Basic and CPR certifications;

3. Successful completion of the didactic portion of an EMT-Paramedic training program equivalent to the refresher curriculum.

i. Prior to the completion of the didactic portion of the program, the person shall complete any other training required to enter the NREMT-Paramedic Certification Examination process, and possess certification in both ACLS and either PALS or PEPP-Advanced, as well as certification in either PHTLS or ITLS;

4. Successful completion of 200 hours of clinical training;

i. These hours shall be completed within one year of entering into the program. No hours may be completed until the Department has notified the person that he or she has been admitted into the program;

ii. The areas covered by the program shall be determined by the EMS Educator, based on the needs of the person, and shall be scheduled at the discretion of the EMS Educator;

iii. During retraining, the person shall have the same status as an EMT-Paramedic student, and shall not act independently to provide advanced life support care;

5. Documentation as required by the NREMT, including but not limited to, certification and medical director endorsement; and

6. Achievement of a passing score on the NREMT-Paramedic Certification Examination.

(b) Upon successful completion of all of the requirements set forth in (a)1 through 6 above, the person shall be issued an EMT-Paramedic certification card, which shall bear the person's previous certification number and that shall be valid for a period of not less than 24, nor more than 30, months.

(c) An EMT-Paramedic whose certification has expired shall retain status as an EMT-Basic for a period of one year from the date of the expiration of his or her EMT-Paramedic certification. A separate EMT-Basic certification card shall not be issued unless specifically requested.

(d) Subsections (a), (b), and (c) are hereby subject to the following modifications:

1. Individuals whose EMT-Paramedic certification expired within the past five years (April 1, 2015 to April 1, 2020) are eligible for "COVID-19 EMT-Paramedic re-entry";

2. An applicant is disqualified from the "COVID-19 EMT-Paramedic re-entry" process if he or she:

i. Is currently under investigation by any other State EMT-Paramedic licensing authority;

ii. Has a proposed or final enforcement action pending or entered against him or her by any State EMT-Paramedic licensing authority;

iii. Is excluded from acting as an EMT-Paramedic pursuant to a settlement reached with any State EMT-Paramedic licensing authority;

iv. Was cited for impersonating an EMT and/or EMT-Paramedic;

v. Has a criminal history or pending criminal charges referenced at N.J.A.C. 8:41A-5.2; or

vi. Failed to successfully complete all continuing education audits conducted by OEMS while certified as a paramedic;

3. If an applicant qualifies for the "COVID-19 EMT-Paramedic re-entry," then the applicant must complete an application found at www.njems.us;

4. The qualified applicant must also:

i. Obtain sponsorship through a mobile intensive care hospital;

ii. Possess a valid EMT, CPR, ACLS, PHTLS, or ITLS, and a PALS, PEPP-Advanced, or Advanced-EPC certification;

iii. Obtain verification of endorsement and competency from the sponsoring agency's medical director; and

iv. Send verification of successful completion of the above requirements to ems@doh.nj.govwith the subject line: COVID-19 Re-entry;

5. Upon successful completion of the above requirements, the Department will issue the applicant a six-month provisional EMT-Paramedic certification;

6. The applicant must successfully complete all the requirements currently set forth in this section to obtain full certification as an EMT-Paramedic at the end of the six-month provisional period.

i. If the applicant fails to successfully complete these requirements by the end of the provisional period, then the applicant's provisional certification will expire, and the individual will no longer be permitted to practice as an EMT-Paramedic.

7. An applicant issued a provisional EMT-Paramedic certification under this waiver/modification shall not be permitted to serve as a crew member for a one paramedic/one EMT crew configuration authorized under the COVID-19 Mobile Intensive Care Unit Crewmember waiver issued by the Department on March 13, 2020; and

8. For two paramedic crew configurations for Mobile Intensive Care Units, only one of the crew members shall possess a six-month provisional certification issued under this waiver/ modification.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:41A-4.4

Modified by Executive Order No. 103(2020) 52 N.J.R. 1655(a), effective 4/7/2020