What is the minimum staffing requirement for Tier II transports?

What is the minimum staffing requirement for Tier II transports?

• A. Two paramedics
• B. One paramedic and one nurse
• C. One system authorized Paramedic, PHRN, PHPA or PHAPRN, and one critical care prepared clinician
• D. Three clinicians of any designation

Answer: (C)

The minimum staffing for Tier II transports is built around pairing basic prehospital capability with explicit critical-care readiness. You need one clinician who is a system-authorized paramedic (or an equivalent role such as PHRN, PHPA, or PHAPRN) to provide standard EMS care and stabilization, together with one additional clinician who is prepared for critical-care transport. This combination ensures the patient can be stabilized and continuously supported with advanced monitoring, ventilatory management, vasoactive drugs, and other critical-care interventions throughout the transfer. Two paramedics might cover general care but do not guarantee the presence of a clinician specifically trained for critical-care transport. A paramedic plus a nurse could meet some staffing models, but only if the nurse and the paramedic meet the system’s defined authorized/critical-care-prepared designations. Having three clinicians exceeds the minimum and is not required.

The minimum staffing for Tier II transports is built around pairing basic prehospital capability with explicit critical-care readiness. You need one clinician who is a system-authorized paramedic (or an equivalent role such as PHRN, PHPA, or PHAPRN) to provide standard EMS care and stabilization, together with one additional clinician who is prepared for critical-care transport. This combination ensures the patient can be stabilized and continuously supported with advanced monitoring, ventilatory management, vasoactive drugs, and other critical-care interventions throughout the transfer.

Two paramedics might cover general care but do not guarantee the presence of a clinician specifically trained for critical-care transport. A paramedic plus a nurse could meet some staffing models, but only if the nurse and the paramedic meet the system’s defined authorized/critical-care-prepared designations. Having three clinicians exceeds the minimum and is not required.