An Act Relating to Surgical Technologists and the Practice of Surgical Technology
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §1813-A is enacted to read:
§ 1813-A. Surgical technologists
(1) Preparing the operating room and the sterile operating field for surgical procedures by ensuring that surgical equipment is functioning properly and safely and using sterile techniques to prepare supplies, instruments and equipment;
(2) Assisting a surgeon with placing sterile drapes on the patient to establish the sterile operating field;
(3) Participating in the process of verifying correct patient, procedure and surgical site;
(4) Anticipating the needs of the surgeon, based on knowledge of human anatomy and pathophysiology, by preparing and passing instruments and supplies during the surgical procedure;
(5) Sponging and suctioning the surgical site;
(6) Preparing and cutting suture material;
(7) Preparing and utilizing irrigation solutions during the surgical procedure;
(8) Preparing and passing medications and hemostatic agents during the surgical procedure, but not administering drugs;
(9) Preparing and passing off specimens;
(10) Holding retractors or other instruments;
(11) Applying electrocautery to clamps or forceps on bleeding vessels;
(12) Operating the camera during endoscopic procedures;
(13) Placing instruments in robotic arms during the surgical procedure;
(14) Connecting drains to suction apparatus;
(15) Performing urinary catheterization;
(16) Preparing and applying sterile dressings to closed wounds;
(17) Assisting with counts of instruments and sponges;
(18) Assisting with transferring the patient to and positioning the patient on the operating table; and
(19) Maintaining the highest standard of sterile technique, including identifying and correcting breaks in the sterile operating field.
A health care facility may employ or contract with an individual to practice surgical technology during the 6-month period immediately following the individual's successful completion of a surgical technology program described in subsection 2, paragraph A. The health care facility shall terminate the employment or contract at the end of the 6-month period unless the individual satisfies the certification requirement of subsection 2, paragraph A.
A surgical technologist employed or contracted with by a health care facility who is not certified according to subsection 2, paragraph A must complete 30 hours of relevant continuing education every 2 years in order to remain eligible to practice surgical technology and is responsible for proving, to the satisfaction of the health care facility, compliance with this requirement.
summary
Surgical technologists are individuals with specialized education who function as members of a surgical team by providing support during every phase of a surgical case. This bill requires health care facilities to employ or contract with only certified surgical technologists for this function. A surgical technologist who is not certified, but who is practicing surgical technology on the effective date of this legislation, may continue in that employment after the effective date. After the effective date, a health care facility may hire a noncertified surgical technologist who is a recent graduate, but the individual is required to obtain certification within 6 months of graduation in order to remain employed. Further, a critical access hospital may employ a noncertified surgical technologist if that facility is unable to recruit certified personnel and maintains a record detailing its recruitment efforts. All employed surgical technologists, regardless of certification status, must meet stated continuing education requirements. Nothing in the bill prohibits a licensed practitioner from performing surgical technology duties that fall within the scope of that person's license.