BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 2561
Author: Roger Hernández (D)
Amended: 8/6/12 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE BUSINESS, PROF. & ECON. DEV. COMMITTEE : 9-0,
6/25/12
AYES: Price, Emmerson, Corbett, Correa, Hernandez, Negrete
McLeod, Strickland, Vargas, Wyland
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 70-2, 5/17/12 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Certified surgical technologists
SOURCE : California State Assembly of the Association of
Surgical
Technologists
DIGEST : This bill establishes the Certified Surgical
Technologist Act and specifies educational and
certification requirements, and specific patient care
activities of surgical technologists.
ANALYSIS : Existing law provides for the licensure and
regulation of healing arts licensees by boards within the
Department of Consumer Affairs, including the licensure and
regulation of physicians and surgeons by the Medical Board
of California.
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This bill:
1. Establishes the Certified Surgical Technologist Act.
2. Defines the following:
A. "Certified surgical technologist" means a person
who practices surgical technology and who has
successfully completed a nationally accredited
education program for surgical technologists and
holds and maintains certification as a surgical
technologist.
B. "Surgical technology" means intra-operative
surgical patient care including:
(1) At the direction of, or subject to
supervision by, a physician and surgeon, or
registered nurse, preparing the operating
room for surgical procedures by ensuring that
surgical equipment is functioning properly
and safely.
(2) At the direction of, or subject to
supervision by, a physician and surgeon, or
registered nurse, preparing the operating
room and the sterile field for surgical
procedures by preparing sterile supplies,
instruments, and equipment using sterile
technique.
(3) Anticipating the needs of the
surgical team based on knowledge of human
anatomy and pathophysiology and how they
relate to the surgical patient and the
patient's surgical procedure.
(4) As directed in an operating room
setting, performing the following tasks at
the sterile field:
(a) Passing supplies,
equipment, or instruments.
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(b) Sponging or suctioning an
operative site.
(c) Preparing and cutting
suture material.
(d) Transferring and pouring
irrigation fluids.
(e) Transferring but not
administering drugs within the sterile
field.
(f) Handling specimens.
(g) Holding retractors and
other instruments.
(h) Applying electrocautery to
clamps on bleeders.
(i) Connecting drains to
suction apparatus.
(j) Applying dressings to
closed wounds.
(k) Assisting in counting
sponges, needles, supplies, and
instruments with the registered nurse
circulator.
(l) Cleaning and preparing
instruments for sterilization on
completion of the surgery.
(m) Assisting the surgical team
with cleaning of the operating room on
completion of the surgery.
3. Makes it unlawful for a person to use the title
"certified surgical technologist" unless the person
meets certain educational requirements and holds a
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certification by a specified entity.
4. Specifies that healthcare practitioners, as defined,
licensees are not prohibited from performing a task or
function within their licensure scope, and that this
bill does not apply to licensed registered nurses,
licensed vocational nurses, or persons responsible for
cleaning or sterilization of supplies, instruments,
equipment, or operating rooms.
Background
Surgical Site Infections . In a 2007 report from the Joint
Commission on Quality and Safety, surgical site infections
were listed as the second most common hospital-acquired
infections in the United States. According to a 2001
report, three of every 100 operations performed in the
United States are complicated by surgical site infections
(Gaynes, et al. 2001). Additionally over eight percent of
hospital acquired infections that were associated with
deaths in the United States were surgical site infections
(Klevens et al., 2007).
Surgical Technologists . California is home to an estimated
5000 of the nation's 90,000 surgical technologists.
Surgical technologists are allied health professionals who
are part of the team of medical practitioners who provide
surgical care to patients. They work under the supervision
of a surgeon to facilitate safe surgical procedures by
ensuring that the operating room environment is safe,
equipment functions a properly, and the operative
procedures are conducted under conditions that maximize
patient safety. Surgical technologists possess training in
the theory and application of sterile and aseptic technique
in order to assist a physician in their performance of
invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. Surgical
technologists graduate from surgical technology programs
accredited by the Accreditation Review Committee on
Education in Surgical Technology
Current Oversight . The National Board of Surgical
Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) was established
in 1974 as the certifying agency for surgical
technologists. NBSTSA is solely responsible for all
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decisions regarding certification; from determining
eligibility to maintaining, denying, granting and renewing
the designation. The NBSTSA determines, through
examination, if an individual has acquired both theoretical
and practical knowledge of surgical technology or surgical
first assisting.
According to the NBSTSA, "?because certification is
voluntary, the choice to become certified exhibits pride in
the profession, the desire to be recognized for mastery of
scientific principles, as well as an ongoing commitment to
quality patient care." Certification is a means for upward
mobility, a condition for employment, a route to higher
pay, and a source of recognition nationwide. Approved
candidates who take and pass the Certified Surgical
Technician examination are authorized to use the initials
"CST" as long as they maintain certification currency. In
California, there are approximately 1400 surgical
technologists who are certified.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/6/12)
California State Assembly of the Association of Surgical
Technologists
(source)
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 70-2, 5/17/12
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall,
Bill Berryhill, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, Brownley,
Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter,
Cedillo, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson, Eng,
Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Beth Gaines, Garrick,
Gatto, Gordon, Gorell, Grove, Hagman, Halderman, Hall,
Harkey, Hayashi, Roger Hernández, Hill, Huber, Hueso,
Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Lara, Logue, Ma,
Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell, Monning, Morrell,
Nestande, Nielsen, Olsen, V. Manuel Pérez, Portantino,
Silva, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao, Wagner,
Wieckowski, Williams, John A. Pérez
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NOES: Donnelly, Galgiani
NO VOTE RECORDED: Block, Fletcher, Bonnie Lowenthal,
Norby, Pan, Perea, Skinner, Yamada
JJA:d 8/7/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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