HB2600 Summary

• Prohibits practice of surgical technology in health care facilities unless the practitioner meets specific qualifications: holds certified surgical technologist (CST) credential from a nationally recognized body, completed military/federal training program, was employed before the effective date, or works for the federal government.

• Allows a 12-month grace period for newly graduated surgical technologists to practice while obtaining CST certification, but employment cannot continue beyond that period without the credential.

• Requires health care facilities to verify that employed or contracted surgical technologists maintain continuing education credits equivalent to those required for CST holders and retain their CST credential where applicable.

• Permits health care facilities to hire unqualified personnel only after demonstrating diligent efforts to recruit qualified surgical technologists and documenting those efforts in writing.

• Effective November 1, 2014; does not prohibit licensed practitioners from performing surgical technology tasks within their scope of practice; enforcement delegated to State Department of Health.