65-6112. Definitions. As used in article 61 of chapter 65 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto:

(a) "Administrator" means the executive director of the emergency medical services board.

(b) "Advanced emergency medical technician" means a person who holds an advanced emergency medical technician certificate issued pursuant to this act.

(c) "Advanced practice registered nurse" means an advanced practice registered nurse issued a license pursuant to K.S.A. 65-1130, and amendments thereto, who has authority to prescribe drugs as provided by K.S.A. 65-1130, and amendments thereto.

(d) "Ambulance" means any privately or publicly owned motor vehicle, airplane or helicopter designed, constructed, prepared, staffed and equipped for use in transporting and providing emergency care for individuals who are ill or injured.

(e) "Ambulance service" means any organization operated for the purpose of transporting sick or injured persons to or from a place where medical care is furnished, whether or not such persons may be in need of emergency or medical care in transit.

(f) "Board" means the emergency medical services board established pursuant to K.S.A. 65-6102, and amendments thereto.

(g) "Emergency medical service" means the effective and coordinated delivery of such care as may be required by an emergency that includes the care and transportation of individuals by ambulance services and the performance of authorized emergency care by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, professional nurse, physician assistant or emergency medical service provider.

(h) "Emergency medical service provider" means an emergency medical responder, advanced emergency medical technician, emergency medical technician or paramedic certified by the emergency medical services board.

(i) "Emergency medical responder" means a person who holds an emergency medical responder certificate issued pursuant to this act.

(j) "Emergency medical technician" means a person who holds an emergency medical technician certificate issued pursuant to this act.

(k) "Hospital" means a hospital as defined by K.S.A. 65-425, and amendments thereto.

(l) "Medical director" means a physician.

(m) "Medical oversight" means to review, approve and implement medical protocols and to approve and monitor the activities, competency and education of emergency medical service providers.

(n) "Medical protocols" means written guidelines that authorize emergency medical service providers to perform certain medical procedures prior to contacting a physician, physician assistant authorized by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse or professional nurse authorized by a physician.

(o) "Municipality" means any city, county, township, fire district or ambulance service district.

(p) "Nonemergency transportation" means the care and transport of a sick or injured person under a foreseen combination of circumstances calling for continuing care of such person. As used in this subsection, "transportation" includes performance of the authorized level of services of the emergency medical service provider whether within or outside the vehicle as part of such transportation services.

(q) "Operator" means a person or municipality that has a permit to operate an ambulance service in the state of Kansas.

(r) "Paramedic" means a person who holds a paramedic certificate issued pursuant to this act.

(s) "Person" means an individual, a partnership, an association, a joint-stock company or a corporation.

(t) "Physician" means a person licensed by the state board of healing arts to practice medicine and surgery.

(u) "Physician assistant" means a physician assistant as defined in K.S.A. 65-28a02, and amendments thereto.

(v) "Professional nurse" means a professional nurse as defined by K.S.A. 65-1113, and amendments thereto.

(w) "Public place" means any areas open to the public or used by the general public including, but not limited to, banks, bars, food service establishments, retail service establishments, retail stores, public means of mass transportation, passenger elevators, healthcare institutions or any other place where healthcare services are provided to the public, medical care facilities, educational facilities, libraries, courtrooms, public buildings, restrooms, grocery stores, school buses, museums, theaters, auditoriums, arenas and recreational facilities. A private residence shall not be considered a "public place" unless such residence is used as a day care home, as defined in K.S.A. 65-530, and amendments thereto.

(x) "Qualified healthcare provider" means a physician, a physician assistant when authorized by a physician, an advanced practice registered nurse or a professional nurse when authorized by a physician.

(y) "Sponsoring organization" means any professional association, accredited postsecondary educational institution, ambulance service that holds a permit to operate in this state, fire department, other officially organized public safety agency, hospital, corporation, governmental entity or emergency medical services regional council, as approved by the executive director, to offer initial courses of instruction or continuing education programs.

History: L. 1988, ch. 261, § 12; L. 1990, ch. 235, § 2; L. 1991, ch. 203, § 1; L. 1993, ch. 71, § 3; L. 1994, ch. 154, § 1; L. 1998, ch. 133, § 4; L. 2000, ch. 162, § 23; L. 2001, ch. 31, § 4; L. 2008, ch. 78, § 1; L. 2010, ch. 119, § 2; L. 2011, ch. 114, § 82; L. 2011, ch. 114, § 59; L. 2014, ch. 131, § 51; L. 2016, ch. 35, § 3; L. 2019, ch. 64, § 21; L. 2021, ch. 106, § 15; L. 2023, ch. 58, § 4; L. 2025, ch. 85, § 3; July 1.