Bill Text: PA HB2290 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Providing for certification of central supply technicians who perform sterilization procedures in health care facilities; imposing continuing education requirements; and providing for the duties of health care facilities and the Department of Health.

Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 20-8)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-29 - Referred to HEALTH [HB2290 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HB2290-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 3312
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2290 Session of2012
INTRODUCED BY GINGRICH, BAKER, BOBACK, CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, CREIGHTON, DeLUCA, DONATUCCI, GEIST, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, JOSEPHS, KAUFFMAN, KILLION, MAJOR, MILLER, MOUL, MUNDY, MURT, MYERS, PICKETT, PYLE, QUINN, SONNEY, SWANGER, THOMAS AND VULAKOVICH, MARCH 29, 2012
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, MARCH 29, 2012
AN ACT
Providing for certification of central supply technicians who
perform sterilization procedures in health care facilities;
imposing continuing education requirements; and providing for
the duties of health care facilities and the Department of
Health.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Central
Supply Technician Certification Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Central supply technician." A person who provides the
services of decontamination, preparation, packaging,
sterilization and storage and distribution of reusable medical
instrumentation or devices in a health care facility.
"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
"Health care facility." As defined in section 103 of the act
of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care
Facilities Act.
"Health care practitioner." As defined in section 103 of the
act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care
Facilities Act.
Section 3. Certification required.
No person may function as a central supply technician and no
health care facility may employ or otherwise contract for the
services of a central supply technician, unless the person meets
one of the following:
(1) holds and maintains the Certified Registered Central
Service Technician credential administered by the
International Association of Healthcare Central Service
Material Management or the Certified Sterile Processing and
Distribution Technician credential administered by the
Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution,
Inc.;
(2) 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 within the two-
year period immediately prior to the effective date of this
section, which evidence may include written confirmation by
the contractor or employer of the employment; or
(3) is a student or intern performing the functions of a
central supply 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's or intern's training.
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Section 4. Continuing employment and education.
(a) New employees.--A person may be employed or contracted
to practice as a central supply technician during the 12-month
period immediately following successful completion of
certification by the International Association of Healthcare
Central Service Material Management or the Certification Board
for Sterile Processing and Distribution, Inc., but may not
continue to be employed or under such contract beyond that
period without documentation that the employee or contractor
holds and maintains the certification required under section
3(1).
(b) Existing employees.--
(1) A person who is employed or contracted to practice
as a central supply technician on the effective date of this
section must be certified within two years of the effective
date of this section.
(2) A person who is employed or contracted to practice
as a central supply technician on the effective date of this
section and fails to obtain certification within the two-year
period specified in paragraph (1) may not continue to be
employed beyond that period without documentation that the
employee is certified in accordance with this act.
(c) Continuing education.--A person who qualifies to
function as a central supply technician in a health care
facility under section 3(1) and (2) shall annually complete 12
hours of continuing education to maintain the person's
certification as a central sterile supply technician.
(d) Health care facility responsibility.--A health care
facility that employs or contracts with a central supply
technician shall verify to the department and maintain
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documentation that the person is properly certified and meets
the continuing education requirements of this section.
Section 5. Other licensed practitioners.
Nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit a licensed
health care practitioner from performing the tasks or functions
of a central supply technician if the person is acting within
the scope of the person's license as a health care practitioner.
Section 6. Departmental duties.
The department shall administer the provisions of this act
and promulgate and adopt such regulations as may be necessary to
implement this act.
Section 7. Effective date.
This act shall take effect January 1, 2013.
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