Can an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) function as a school nurse?
We often have EMTs wanting to perform the duties of a school nurse and an EMT cannot function as a school nurse – they are not licensed as such and are not qualified (it’s also a Class E felony to practice nursing without a license). An EMT works under a cooperative agreement with emergency medical services and they provide the guidance for care to the EMT. An EMT, unless providing direct care as an official emergency responder at the moment that they are administering care, should present themselves to the school nurse and function as an unlicensed person would – as an “extra pair of knowledgeable hands” – but take direction from the school nurse. The school nurse should be careful not to delegate anything to the EMT beyond what an unlicensed person should do. An EMT may not substitute for a school nurse. An EMT may be a very valuable colleague in an emergency as they often are a calming and knowledge partner in a stressful moment. Again, the nurse must not delegate nursing duties to
