1999 Minnesota Statutes

     144.761 Definitions. 

    Subdivision 1.    Scope of definitions.  For purposes of 
 this chapter, the following terms have the meanings given them.  

    Subd. 2.    HIV.  "HIV" means the human immunodeficiency 
 virus, the causative agent of AIDS. 

    Subd. 3.    Hepatitis B.  "Hepatitis B" means the 
 hepatitis B virus. 

    Subd. 4.    Emergency medical services agency.  
 "Emergency medical services agency" means an agency, entity, or 
 organization that employs or uses emergency medical services 
 personnel as employees or volunteers licensed or certified under 
 sections 144E.001 to 144E.35. 

    Subd. 5.    Emergency medical services personnel.  
 "Emergency medical services personnel" means: 

    (1) individuals employed to provide prehospital emergency 
 medical services; 

    (2) persons employed as licensed police officers under 
 section 626.84, subdivision 1, who experience a significant 
 exposure in the performance of their duties; 

    (3) firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical 
 technicians, licensed nurses, rescue squad personnel, or other 
 individuals who serve as employees or volunteers of an ambulance 
 service as defined by sections 144E.001 to 144E.35, who provide 
 prehospital emergency medical services; 

    (4) crime lab personnel receiving a significant exposure 
 while involved in a criminal investigation; 

    (5) correctional guards employed in state and local 
 correctional facilities and other employees of the state 
 department of corrections, if the guard or employee experiences 
 a significant exposure to an inmate in the performance of their 
 duties; 

    (6) employees at the Minnesota security hospital and the 
 Minnesota sexual psychopathic personality treatment center who 
 are employed by the state or a local unit of government and who 
 experience a significant exposure in the performance of their 
 duties; and 

    (7) other persons who render emergency care or assistance 
 at the scene of an emergency, or while an injured person is 
 being transported to receive medical care, and who would qualify 
 for immunity from liability under the Good Samaritan Law, 
 section 604A.01. 

    Subd. 6.    Patient.  "Patient" means an individual who 
 is received by a facility and who receives the services of 
 emergency medical services personnel.  Patient includes, but is 
 not limited to, victims of accident or injury, or deceased 
 persons.  

    Subd. 7.    Significant exposure.  "Significant exposure"
 means: 

    (1) contact, in a manner supported by contemporary 
 epidemiological research as a method of HIV or hepatitis B 
 transmission, of the broken skin or mucous membrane of emergency 
 medical services personnel with a patient's blood, amniotic 
 fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, pleural fluid, 
 synovial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, semen, vaginal secretions, 
 or bodily fluids grossly contaminated with blood; 

    (2) a needle stick, scalpel or instrument wound, or other 
 wound inflicted by an object that is contaminated with blood, 
 and that is capable of cutting or puncturing the skin of 
 emergency medical services personnel; or 

    (3) an exposure that occurs by any other method of 
 transmission recognized by contemporary epidemiological 
 standards as a significant exposure. 

    Subd. 8.    Facility.  "Facility" means a licensed 
 hospital and freestanding emergency medical care facility 
 licensed under sections 144.50 to 144.56 that receives a patient 
 cared for by emergency medical services personnel. 

    HIST: 1989 c 154 s 1; 1990 c 426 art 2 s 1; 1992 c 425 s 1; 
 1994 c 623 art 5 s 1; 1997 c 199 s 14; 1997 c 239 art 9 s 1,2