Requires patient transporters to complete a state accredited basic life support course, in which knowledge and skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation using automated external defibrillators and relieving airway obstructions is taught.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5848C
SPONSOR: Paulin TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring patient
transporters to meet certain minimum requirements
PURPOSE:
Requires patient transporters to have training in Basic Life Support.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Section 1 of the bill identifies the name of this legislation
as "Melania's Law.
Section 2: Creates a new section 2830 of the public health law, which
sets a definition for patient transporter, and sets a requirement that a
patient transporter must be trained in Basic Life Support. Such train-
ing shall be provided by the healthcare facility that either employs or
plans on employing the individual.
Section 3: Sets effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Patient transporters are vital employees to a healthcare facility and
are tasked with moving and transferring patients throughout such facili-
ty for important services such as testing, treatment, or discharge.
This legislation will require that patient transporters be trained in
Basic Life Support (BLS). In doing so, patient transporters will be
better equipped to react in emergency situations that may arise during
their work.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the state.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on January 1, 2025
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5848--C
Cal. No. 165
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 23, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN, SAYEGH -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Health -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- reported
from committee, advanced to a third reading, amended and ordered
reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading --
ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining
its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring patient
transporters to meet certain minimum requirements
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Melania's
2 law".
3 § 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2831 to
4 read as follows:
5 § 2831. Patient transporters. 1. For the purposes of this section, the
6 terms:
7 (a) "Patient transporter" shall mean a person who provides the
8 services of transportation of patients in internal healthcare facility
9 moves including, but not limited to, movements to and from testing or
10 treatment areas, discharging of patients, and operation of transport
11 equipment to escort patients throughout a healthcare facility. It shall
12 only include those persons who hold the job title of transporter.
13 "Patient transporter" shall exclude high-level clinical teams that
14 provide the services of internal healthcare facility transportation for
15 patients with high-acuity, or who present with certain symptoms as may
16 be determined by the commissioner and mobile code teams.
17 (b) "Healthcare facility" shall mean facilities subject to this arti-
18 cle.
19 2. A person shall not function as a patient transporter in a health-
20 care facility and a healthcare facility shall not employ or otherwise
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07065-06-4
A. 5848--C 2
1 contract for the services of a patient transporter unless the patient
2 transporter has successfully passed a state accredited basic life
3 support course, in which knowledge and skills in cardiopulmonary resus-
4 citation using automated external defibrillators and relieving airway
5 obstructions is taught. Healthcare facilities shall provide such course
6 to employees and potential employees at no cost to such individual. Such
7 training shall also be considered work time.
8 3. A patient transporter currently employed or otherwise contracted by
9 a healthcare facility who does not meet the requirements of subdivision
10 two of this section shall have eighteen months from the date of enact-
11 ment of this act to meet such requirements.
12 4. Nothing in this section shall prohibit any healthcare professional
13 from performing patient transporter tasks or functions if the person is
14 acting within the scope of his or her practice.
15 5. Nothing in this section shall be construed as a patient transporter
16 duty to assess and act in a situation where basic life support may be
17 required.
18 § 3. This act shall take effect January 1, 2025. Effective immediate-
19 ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
20 necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
21 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
