Senate Bill 1480 Summary

• Defines "surgical technologist" as a person providing surgical technology services in hospitals and freestanding surgical facilities, with detailed scope including instrument passing, sponging, suction, specimen handling, and wound dressing.

• Requires persons practicing surgical technology in health care facilities to either hold a nationally certified credential, have completed military or U.S. Public Health Service training, have been employed in the field before the effective date, or be federal government employees.

• Allows newly trained surgical technologists a 12-month period after program completion to practice without full certification, but requires certified credential documentation to continue employment beyond that timeframe.

• Permits health care facilities to employ non-qualified surgical technologists only after making documented diligent efforts to hire qualified personnel and maintaining written records of recruitment attempts.

• Does not prohibit licensed practitioners from performing surgical technology tasks within their scope of practice; directs State Board of Health to promulgate implementing rules; effective November 1, 2016.