Certification Issue

Legislative Priority

IAHCSMM maintains that every patient deserves to have a certified central service technician reprocessing his/her instruments and will actively promote laws and regulations to ensure certification of central sterile supply personnel at the state level.

Model Certification bill

MODEL CENTRAL STERILE SUPPLY CERTIFICATION BILL

An Act relating to persons functioning as central service technicians in certain health care facilities.

SECTION 1. For the purposes of this section, the terms:

(1) “Central Service Technicians” shall mean a person who provides the services of decontamination, preparation, packaging, sterilization, and storage and distribution of resusable medical instrumentation or devices in healthcare facilities.

(2) “Health care facility” shall mean a hospital or an ambulatory surgical facility as defined in _________.

SECTION 2. (1) A person shall not function as a central service technician in a health care facility and a health care facility shall not employ or otherwise contract for the services of a central service technician unless the person meets one of the following:

(a) Holds and maintains the Certified Registered Central Service Technician credential administered by the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) or the Certified Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician credential administered by the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution, Inc. (CBSPD) or another credentialing agency acceptable to the commissioner; or

(b) Provides evidence that the person was employed or otherwise contracted for the services as a central service technician in a health care facility on or in the two years immediately prior to the effective date of this section.  In furtherance of this clause, any contractor or employer of persons functioning as a central service technician on the effective date of this section shall confirm in writing to such employee or contractor his or her employment in a capacity functioning as a central service technician in a health care facility as of the effective date of this section; or

(c) Is a student or intern performing the functions of a central service technician if the student or intern is under the direct supervision of an appropriately licensed or certified health care practitioner and is functioning within the scope of the student or intern’s training.

(2) A person may be employed or contracted to practice as a central service technician during the twelve month period immediately following successful completion of the Certified Registered Central Service Technician credential or the Certified Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician credential under paragraph (1)(a) of this subdivision, but may not continue to be employed or contracted with beyond that period without documentation that the employee or contractor holds and maintains the Certified Registered Central Service Technician credential or the Certified Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician credential required in paragraph (1)(a) of this subdivision.

SECTION 3. (1) A person who qualifies to function as a central service technician in a health care facility under paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) of subdivision two of this section must annually complete twelve hours of continuing education to remain qualified to function as a central service technician.

(2) A health care facility that employs or contracts with a central service technician shall verify that the person meets the continuing education requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision two of this section or, where applicable, that the person has obtained and maintained the Certified Registered Central Service Technician credential or the Certified Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician credential.

SECTION 4. Nothing in this article shall prohibit any licensed practitioner from performing central service technicians’ tasks or functions if the person is acting within the scope of his or her license.

SECTION 5. A health care facility that employs or contracts with a central service technician shall, upon request, verify the dates of employment or contract of such person.

SECTION 6. The Department shall enforce the provisions of this section.

SECTION 7. This act shall take effect on _________.

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