establish requirements and liability protection for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses serving on ambulance crews.

Nurses gain ambulance roles and liability protection

South Dakota ambulance services can employ licensed registered or practical nurses, or use them as volunteers, instead of emergency medical technicians or advanced life support personnel. Each run must include one of these care providers and one certified ambulance operator. The medical or program director must approve the nurse’s skills with emergency care, equipment, and medicines. Nurses must work within their license limits and under that director’s direction and supervision. Authorized nurses are protected from civil damages for ambulance-run care, except for actions or failures to act that conflict with their training, involve gross negligence, or involve willful misconduct.