97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB1749

 

Introduced 2/9/2011, by Sen. M. Maggie Crotty

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Surgical Technologists Act. Provides that a person may not practice surgical technology in a health care facility unless the person (i) has successfully completed a nationally accredited educational program for surgical technologists and holds and maintains the Certified Surgical Technologist credential, (ii) completed an appropriate training program for surgical technology in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United States or in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, (iii) provides evidence that the person was employed to practice surgical technology in a health care facility on the effective date of the Act, or (iv) is in the service of the federal government. Provides that a health care facility may employ a surgical technologist who does not meet the requirements of this Section under specified circumstances. Provides for continuing education requirements. Contains provisions concerning supervision. Effective January 1, 2012.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Surgical Technologists Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. For the purposes of this Act, the
7following definitions shall have the following meanings,
8except where the context requires otherwise:
9    "Health care facility" means a hospital, freestanding
10surgical outpatient facility, or other similar entity that
11utilizes surgical technologists.
12    "Surgical technologist" means a person who practices
13surgical technology.
14    "Surgical technology" means surgical patient care that
15includes, but is not limited to, the following tasks or
16functions:
17        (1) preparing the operating room for surgical
18    procedures by ensuring that surgical equipment is
19    functioning properly and safely;
20        (2) preparing the operating room and sterile field for
21    surgical procedures by preparing sterile supplies,
22    instruments, and equipment using sterile techniques;
23        (3) anticipating the needs of the surgical team based

 

 

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1    on knowledge of human anatomy and pathophysiology and how
2    they relate to the surgical patient and the patient's
3    surgical procedure; and
4        (4) as directed, performing tasks at the sterile field
5    including:
6            (A) passing supplies, equipment, or instruments;
7            (B) sponging or suctioning an operative site;
8            (C) preparing and cutting suture material;
9            (D) transferring and irrigating with fluids;
10            (E) transferring and administering drugs within
11        the sterile field, according to applicable law;
12            (F) handling specimens;
13            (G) holding retractors and other instruments;
14            (H) applying electrocautery to clamps on bleeders;
15            (I) connecting drains to suction apparatus;
16            (J) applying dressings to closed wounds; and
17            (K) performing sponge, needle, supply, and
18        instrument counts with the registered nurse
19        circulator.
 
20    Section 10. Applicability.
21    (a) A person may not practice surgical technology in a
22health care facility unless the person meets one of the
23following:
24        (1) has successfully completed a nationally accredited
25    educational program for surgical technologists and holds

 

 

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1    and maintains the Certified Surgical Technologist
2    credential administered by the National Board of Surgical
3    Technology and Surgical Assisting or its successor;
4        (2) has completed an appropriate training program for
5    surgical technology in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine
6    Corps, or Coast Guard of the United States or in the United
7    States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps;
8        (3) provides evidence that the person was employed to
9    practice surgical technology in a health care facility on
10    the effective date of this Act; or
11        (4) is in the service of the federal government, to the
12    extent the person is performing duties related to that
13    service.
14    (b) A person may be employed or contracted to practice
15surgical technology during the 12-month period immediately
16after the successful completion of a surgical technology
17program, but may not continue to be employed or contracted with
18beyond that 12-month period without documentation that the
19employee or contractor holds and maintains the certified
20surgical technologist credential required in subsection (a).
21    (c) A health care facility shall not employ or otherwise
22contract for the services of a surgical technologist unless the
23person meets the requirements of this Section.
24    (d) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this Section, a
25health care facility may employ a surgical technologist who
26does not meet the requirements of this Section if:

 

 

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1        (1) after a diligent and thorough effort has been made,
2    the health care facility is unable to employ a sufficient
3    number of qualified surgical technologists who meet the
4    requirements of this Section; and
5        (2) the health care facility makes a written record of
6    its efforts under item (1) of this subsection (d) and
7    retains the record at the health care facility.
 
8    Section 15. Continuing education requirements.
9    (a) A person who qualifies to practice surgical technology
10in a health care facility under item (2) or (3) of subsection
11(a) of Section 10 must annually complete 15 hours of continuing
12education to remain qualified to practice as a surgical
13technologist.
14    (b) A health care facility that employs or contracts with a
15person to practice surgical technology shall verify that the
16person meets the continuing education requirements of
17subsection (a) and, where applicable, that the person has
18maintained the Certified Surgical Technologist credential.
 
19    Section 20. Supervision of surgical technologists. This
20Act does not repeal or modify any law relating to the
21supervision of surgical technologists.
 
22    Section 25. Licensed practitioners. Nothing in this Act
23shall prohibit any licensed practitioner from performing

 

 

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1surgical technology tasks or functions if the person is acting
2within the scope of his or her license.
 
3    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
41, 2012.