Paramedical Services

Paramedical services include the administration of medications, puncturing the skin or inserting a medical device into a body orifice, activities requiring sterile procedures, or other activities requiring judgment based on training given by a licensed health care professional.

If you have a question about whether a particular task is a paramedical service, ask the questions from the statute:

  • Does the task involve puncturing the skin or sticking a medical device into a body opening?

  • Does the task require sterile procedures?

  • Does the task require the exercise of judgment or make a decision based on training or direction from the recipeint's treament team?

Paramedical services include such things as:

  • Administration of medications that go beyond what is covered under nonmedical personal care services (see below)

  • Injections

  • Breathing treatments, nebulizer

  • Pulmonary toileting (pounding lung areas of back and chest to

    loosen secretions)

  • Catheter changes or helping void urine with a catheter

  • Ostomy or bricker bag irrigation or changes and cleaning and

    maintaining the stoma site

  • Range of motion exercises and other home therapy programs

    prescribed by a physician

  • Nasal-gastric tube or G-Tube feedings & care of stoma site

  • Skin and wound care if there is a decubitus ulcer (bed or pressure

    sore) or a diabetes related wound or, if the person has a history of ecubiti, checking the body for “hot spots” that could turn into a

    decubitus ulcer

  • Suctioning through a tracheotomy or through the nose and mouth

    including tracheal (deep) suctioning

  • Bowel program for those with spinal cord injuries or neurological

    impairment impacting the gastro-intestinal system

  • Digital stool removal

  • Insertion of suppositories or administration of an enema

  • Adjustment, monitoring and connecting tubing and ventilator; C-PAP or BiPAP machine adjustment, putting on mask

  • Monitoring to determine need for an intervention including medications that are given on an as-needed basis rather than on a schedule.

  • Cutting toenails when necessary to prevent injury to skin from the nails

This information and more can be found at www.disabilityrightsca.org.