PRINTER'S NO. 83
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
81
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY KAUFFMAN, MURT, PYLE, ZIMMERMAN, READSHAW, HILL-
EVANS AND JOZWIAK, JANUARY 28, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, JANUARY 28, 2019
AN ACT
Providing for certification of central service technicians;
imposing continuing education requirements on central service
technicians; providing for duties of hospitals and ambulatory
surgical facilities and the Department of Health; and
regulating the practice of surgical technology and surgical
technologists.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions
Section 101. Short title.
Section 102. Definitions.
Chapter 3. Central Service Technicians
Section 301. Certification.
Section 302. Employment and continuing education.
Section 303. Scope of practice.
Section 304. Departmental duties.
Chapter 5. Surgical Technologies
Section 501. Requirements for health care facilities.
Section 502. Continuing education.
Section 503. Exception.
Section 504. Scope of practice.
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Section 505. Applicability.
Section 506. Departmental duties.
Chapter 21. Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 2101. Effective date.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
CHAPTER 1
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Section 101. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Central
Service Technician and Surgical Technologist Regulation Act.
Section 102. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Ambulatory surgical facility." As defined in section 802.1
of the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the
Health Care Facilities Act.
"Central service technician." An individual who provides the
services of inspecting, assembling, decontamination,
preparation, packaging and sterilization of reusable medical
instruments or devices in a hospital or an ambulatory surgical
facility.
"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
"Health care facility." A hospital, ambulatory surgical
center or freestanding surgical outpatient facility.
"Health care practitioner." As defined in section 103 of
the Health Care Facilities Act.
"Hospital." As defined in section 802.1 of the Health Care
Facilities Act.
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"Surgical technologist." An individual who is employed or
contracted by a health care facility to perform surgical
technology tasks and functions.
"Surgical technology." Surgical patient care that includes,
but is not limited to, the following tasks or functions:
(1) preparing the operating room and the sterile field
for surgical procedures by ensuring that surgical equipment
is functioning properly and safely and preparing sterile
supplies, instruments and equipment using sterile technique;
and
(2) as directed, performing tasks at the sterile field,
including:
(i) maintaining asepsis and correcting breaks in the
sterile field;
(ii) passing supplies, equipment or instruments
according to the needs of the surgical team;
(iii) sponging or suctioning an operative site;
(iv) preparing and cutting suture material;
(v) transferring and irrigating with fluids;
(vi) transferring but not administering drugs within
the sterile field;
(vii) handling specimens;
(viii) holding retractors and other instruments;
(ix) applying electrocautery to clamps on bleeders;
(x) connecting drains to suction apparatus;
(xi) applying dressings to closed wounds; and
(xii) performing sponge, needle, supply and
instrument counts with the registered nurse circulator.
CHAPTER 3
CENTRAL SERVICE TECHNICIANS
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Section 301. Certification.
(a) Requirements.--An individual shall not function as a
central service technician in a health care facility, and a
health care facility shall not employ or otherwise contract for
the services of a central service technician unless the
individual has successfully passed a nationally accredited
central service exam for central service technicians and holds
and maintains one of the following credentials:
(1) Certified registered central service technician
credential.
(2) Certified sterile processing and distribution
technician credential.
(b) Exemption.--The certification requirement under
subsection (a) shall not apply to an individual who has been
employed or otherwise contracted for services as a central
service technician in a hospital or ambulatory surgical facility
on or before December 31, 2019.
Section 302. Employment and continuing education.
(a) New employees.--A central service technician who does
not meet the requirements under section 301 shall have 18 months
from the date of hire to comply with section 301.
(b) Continuing education.--An individual who qualifies to
function as a central service technician in a hospital or an
ambulatory surgical facility under section 301 shall annually
complete 10 hours of continuing education to remain qualified as
a central service technician. The continuing education required
under this subsection shall be in areas related to the functions
of a central service technician.
(c) Facility responsibility.--
(1) A hospital or ambulatory surgical facility shall
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maintain documentation to verify that an individual meets the
certification requirements under section 301(a).
(2) If an individual does not meet the certification
requirements under section 301(a), a hospital or ambulatory
surgical facility shall maintain documentation of a central
service technician's dates of employment or the contract
period when the central service technician provided services
to the hospital or ambulatory surgical facility to verify
that the central service technician meets the exemption
requirements under section 301(b).
Section 303. Scope of practice.
Nothing in this chapter may be construed to prohibit any of
the following individuals from performing the tasks or functions
of a central service technician:
(1) A health care practitioner.
(2) A dental assistant or an individual who is licensed
or registered under the act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.216, No.76),
known as The Dental Law.
(3) A student or intern performing the functions of a
central service technician under the direct supervision of a
health care practitioner as part of the student's or intern's
training or internship.
Section 304. Departmental duties.
The department shall administer the provisions of this
chapter and promulgate and adopt such regulations as may be
necessary to implement this act.
CHAPTER 5
SURGICAL TECHNOLOGIES
Section 501. Requirements for health care facilities.
The following apply:
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(1) A health care facility shall not employ or otherwise
contract for the services of a surgical technologist in a
health care facility unless the individual meets at least one
of the following:
(i) has successfully completed a program accredited
by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Education Programs or other nationally accredited
educational program for surgical technologists and holds
and maintains the Certified Surgical Technologist
credential administered by the National Board of Surgical
Technology and Surgical Assisting or its successor;
(ii) has successfully completed an appropriate
training program for surgical technology in the United
States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard
or in the United States Public Health Service;
(iii) provides evidence that the individual was
employed to practice surgical technology in a health care
facility on the effective date of this act or was
employed to practice surgical technology during the two
years immediately preceding the effective date of this
act; or
(iv) is in the service of the Federal Government, to
the extent that the individual is performing duties
related to that service.
(2) A health care facility may employ or contract an
individual to practice surgical technology during the 12-
month period immediately following successful completion of a
surgical technology program, but may not continue to be
employed or contracted with beyond that period without
documentation that the employee or contractor holds and
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maintains the Certified Surgical Technologist credential
required under paragraph (1)(i).
Section 502. Continuing education.
(a) General rule.--An individual who qualifies to practice
surgical technology in a health care facility under section
501(1)(i) or (ii) must annually complete 15 hours of continuing
education to remain qualified to practice as a surgical
technologist.
(b) Verification.--A health care facility that employs or
contracts with an individual to practice surgical technology
shall verify that the individual meets the continuing education
requirements under subsection (a) or, if applicable, that the
individual holds and maintains the Certified Surgical
Technologist credential as required under section 501(1)(i).
Section 503. Exception.
A health care facility may employ or otherwise contract with
an individual who does not meet the requirements of section 501
to practice surgical technology in a health care facility if:
(1) after a diligent and thorough effort has been made,
the health care facility is unable to employ or contract with
a sufficient number of qualified surgical technologists who
meet the requirements of section 501; and
(2) the health care facility makes a written record of
its efforts under paragraph (1) and retains the record at the
health care facility.
Section 504. Scope of practice.
Nothing in this chapter may be construed to prohibit any of
the following individuals from performing the tasks or functions
of a surgical technologist:
(1) A health care practitioner.
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(2) A dental assistant or an individual who is licensed
or registered under the act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.216, No.76),
known as The Dental Law.
(3) A student or intern performing the functions of a
central service technician under the direct supervision of a
health care practitioner as part of the student's or intern's
training or internship.
Section 505. Applicability.
Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit any licensed
practitioner from performing surgical technology tasks or
functions if the practitioner is acting within the scope of the
practitioner's license.
Section 506. Departmental duties.
The Department of Health shall enforce the provisions of this
chapter.
CHAPTER 21
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 2101. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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