Subdivision 1. Scope of definitions. For purposes of sections 144.7401 to 144.7415, the following terms have the meanings given them.

Subd. 2. Blood-borne pathogens. "Blood-borne pathogens" means pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Subd. 3. Emergency medical services agency. "Emergency medical services agency" means an agency, entity, or organization that employs or uses emergency medical services persons as employees or volunteers.

Subd. 4. Emergency medical services person. "Emergency medical services person" means:

(1) an individual employed or receiving compensation to provide out-of-hospital emergency medical services such as a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, licensed nurse, rescue squad person, or other individual who serves as an employee or volunteer of an ambulance service as defined under chapter 144E or a member of an organized first responder squad that is formally recognized by a political subdivision in the state, who provides out-of-hospital emergency medical services during the performance of the individual's duties;

(2) an individual employed as a licensed peace officer under section 626.84, subdivision 1;

(3) an individual employed as a crime laboratory worker while working outside the laboratory and involved in a criminal investigation;

(4) any individual who renders emergency care or assistance at the scene of an emergency or while an injured person is being transported to receive medical care and who is acting as a Good Samaritan under section 604A.01; and

(5) any individual who, in the process of executing a citizen's arrest under section 629.30, may have experienced a significant exposure to a source individual.

Subd. 5. Source individual. "Source individual" means an individual, living or dead, whose blood, tissue, or potentially infectious body fluids may be a source of blood-borne pathogen exposure to an emergency medical services person. Examples include, but are not limited to, a victim of an accident, injury, or illness or a deceased person.

Subd. 6. Significant exposure. "Significant exposure" means contact likely to transmit a blood-borne pathogen, in a manner supported by the most current guidelines and recommendations of the United States Public Health Service at the time an evaluation takes place, that includes:

(1) percutaneous injury, contact of mucous membrane or nonintact skin, or prolonged contact of intact skin; and

(2) contact, in a manner that may transmit a blood-borne pathogen, with blood, tissue, or potentially infectious body fluids.

Subd. 7. Facility. "Facility" means a hospital licensed under sections 144.50 to 144.56 or a freestanding emergency medical care facility licensed under Laws 1988, chapter 467, that receives an emergency medical services person for evaluation for significant exposure or a source individual cared for by an emergency medical services person.

Subd. 8. Peace officer; applicability. An individual licensed as a peace officer under section 626.84, subdivision 1, is considered an emergency medical services person for purposes of sections 144.7401 to 144.7415 regardless of whether the officer is engaged in performing emergency services.

History: 2000 c 422 s 5; 2006 c 260 art 3 s 4