BILL REQ. #:  S-0228.1 

Read first time 02/04/13.   Referred to Committee on Health Care .

     AN ACT Relating to the education of surgical technologists; amending RCW 18.215.005, 18.215.010, and 18.215.020; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 18.215.005 and 1999 c 335 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     The registration, competency, and professional education of surgical technologists is in the interest of the public health, safety, and welfare.

Sec. 2   RCW 18.215.010 and 1999 c 335 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "Department" means the department of health.
     (2) "Secretary" means the secretary of health or the secretary's designee.
     (3) "Surgical technologist" means ((a person, regardless of title, who is supervised in the surgical setting under the delegation of authority of a health care practitioner acting within the scope of his or her license and under the laws of this state)) an individual who under the supervision of a licensed health care practitioner in a hospital as defined by RCW 70.41.020 or an ambulatory surgical facility as defined by RCW 70.230.010 is authorized to: (a) Maintain surgical instrument integrity from within the surgical field during surgical procedures; (b) perform surgical support tasks, including instrument and equipment transfers and counts, and managing fluids, specimens, and supplies; (c) identify and correct breaks in asepsis; and (d) perform other surgical tasks as directed.

Sec. 3   RCW 18.215.020 and 1999 c 335 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     No person may represent oneself as a surgical technologist by use of any title or description or perform the functions of a surgical technologist without being registered by the department under the provisions of this chapter. No individual may hold himself or herself out to be a surgical technologist or perform the functions of a surgical technologist unless the secretary or the secretary's designee certifies the individual as a surgical technologist under the provisions of this chapter. Unless exempted by RCW 18.215.030, applicants for registration as a surgical technologist must submit evidence of: (1) Successful completion of a nationally and programmatically accredited surgical technology program or a surgical technology program offered by the United States armed forces and a current credential as a certified surgical technologist from the national board of surgical technology and surgical assisting or its successor; or (2) employment or contract as a surgical technologist in a hospital or ambulatory surgical facility for a period of one year in the five years immediately preceding January 1, 2015.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   The department of health must recommend adoption, amendment, and repeal of rules it deems necessary to administer and enforce this act. The rules must be in accordance, and not inconsistent, with the provisions of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   This act takes effect August 1, 2014.