BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1199|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 1199
Author: Dutton (R)
Amended: 4/17/12
Vote: 21
SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE : 9-0, 4/11/12
AYES: Hernandez, Harman, Alquist, Anderson, Blakeslee, De
León, DeSaulnier, Rubio, Wolk
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : Radiologic technologists
SOURCE : California Radiological Society
DIGEST : This bill permits a radiologic technologist
(RT), in administering contrast materials, to use a
saline-based solution in accordance with the hospital or
imaging center protocol and that is found to be an
acceptable practice by the Federal Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention or other nationally recognized
accreditation society.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Defines "radiologic technologist" as any person, other
than a licentiate of the healing arts, making
application of X-rays to human beings for diagnostic or
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therapeutic purposes, as specified.
2. Permits certified RTs with sufficient education and
training to perform venipuncture in an upper extremity
and to administer contrast materials under the general
supervision of a licensed physician.
3. Deems training and education to sufficient if the RT
has, among other things, performed 10 venipunctures
under supervision.
This bill permits RTs, in administering contrast materials
in order to ensure the security and integrity of the
intravenous cannula, to use a saline-based solution in
accordance with the hospital or imaging center protocol and
that is found to be an acceptable practice by the Federal
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or other
nationally recognized accreditation society.
Background
According to the website of Cañada College in Redwood City
(which has a DPH-approved RT school), a RT is a health care
professional who performs diagnostic imaging examinations
with the use of X-rays, working directly with patients and
physicians. RTs are educated in patient care, radiation
safety, radiation protection, image and film processing,
anatomy, physiology, patient positioning and examination
techniques. RTs often specialize in a particular
diagnostic imaging area, such as computed tomography
magnetic resonance, mammography, bone densitometry,
cardiovascular-interventional and general radiography. As
of October 4, 2010-the date of the most recent list of
schools that provide RT training that DPH has, there are 35
diagnostic RT schools, six therapeutic RT schools, 34 RT
fluoroscopy permit schools, and 13 limited permit schools
in California.
Injecting contrast materials . The ACR Practice Guideline
for the Use of Intravascular Contrast Media states that the
health care professional performing the injection may be a
certified and/or licensed RT, nurse, physician assistant,
physician, or other appropriately credentialed health care
professional under the direct supervision of a radiologist
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or his/her physician designee, if the practice is in
compliance with institutional and state regulations.
Training and proficiency in cardiopulmonary resuscitation
are recommended for those who attend to patients undergoing
contrast-enhanced examinations.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
SUPPORT : (Verified 4/30/12)
California Radiological Society (source)
California Medical Association
Merced College Diagnostic Radiologic Technology Program
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The sponsor of this bill, the
California Radiological Society (CRS), states that the
ability of students to perform venipunctures on human
volunteers has been increasingly difficult due to concerns
over liability and availability of volunteers. CRS states
that unless the current law is modified to allow the use of
simulator phantoms, many schools have indicated that their
ability to train RTs will be impaired. In addition, CRS
writes that it is necessary for RTs to be allowed to inject
materials that are approved by the ACR, other than the
actual contrast materials. An example of this would be the
use of saline, which in some cases can support the patency
of the cannula or port for injection. The Merced College
Diagnostic Radiologic Technology Program writes that it is
especially disconcerting that RT schools have until the end
of this year to be in compliance with existing law as there
is no way they can abide by how it reads. The Merced
College Diagnostic Radiologic Technology Program further
states that, while it is not the standard of practice in
all radiology settings, the radiology community would like
the statute to allow RTs to inject other substances related
to a contrast injection.
CTW:do 5/3/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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