Calif. Lawmakers Pass Bill To Set Standards for Surgical Technologists
On Wednesday, the California Legislature passed a bill (AB 2062) that would create baseline education and certification standards for surgical technologists, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.
The measure now heads to Gov. Jerry Brown (D).
Background
Technologists currently are the only staff members on an operating team that are not required to meet a minimum level of:
- Certification;
- Education; or
- Training.
Details of Bill
The bill, by state Sen. Roger Hernandez (D-West Covina), is intended to improve patient safety by creating a set of standards for all individuals involved in surgical operations (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 8/27).
The bill would bar health care facilities from employing or contracting with a surgical technologist who lacks specific training and certification, unless:
- The technologist was employed before Jan. 1, 2013; or
- The facility documents an inability to recruit workers that meet the requirements (California Healthline, 2/27).
In the case that a facility is unable to recruit staff that meet the requirements, the bill calls for continued education to be provided to staff.
If signed by Brown, the new standards would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2015 (Sacramento Business Journal, 8/27).
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