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A question posed frequently is “How did the scope of practice get developed?” The Kansas Board of EMS (BEMS) was aware of the need within Kansas to look at and move forward with a new scope of practice. This need to move forward was the result of the release of the National EMS Scope of Practice document that outlined a new suggested national practice scope.
Early in 2008, BEMS assembled a workgroup to review the National Model and consider what Kansas should do with the scope of practice issue. The workgroup included representatives from BEMS, the six EMS Regions, EMS and Fire professional organizations, Community and Technical Colleges, and eight members-at-large. Over the course of six months, the work group considered what direction to recommend — adopting the new National Model or modifying it to meet Kansas state needs. In doing this work the group used a “blue sky” approach that essentially stated that what was in the past and what is in the present had nothing to do with where we felt the scope should go. All options were on the table from what the different levels would be, how they would labeled, and what they would be able to do.
The result is the EMS Attendant Skills Sets Recommendations from Kansas EMS Systems Approach to the Future (KEMSSAF). In August of 2008, BEMS approved these recommendations and directed the Board of EMS staff to move forward with developing a curriculum to bridge existing certified attendants to the new levels – thus the project we are currently working to complete!
