PARAMEDICAL PERSONNEL

also called Paramedics, health-care workers who provide clinical services to patients under the supervision of a physician. The term generally encompasses nurses, therapists, technicians, and other ancillary personnel involved in medical care but is frequently applied specifically to highly trained persons who share with physicians the direct responsibility for patient care. This category includes nurse practitioners, physician's assistants, and emergency medical technicians. These paramedical workers perform routine diagnostic procedures, such as the taking of blood samples, and therapeutic procedures, such as administering injections or suturing wounds; they also relieve physicians of making routine health assessments and taking medical histories. Paramedical training generally prepares individuals to fill specific health-care roles and is considerably less comprehensive than the education required of physicians.