Surgical Technologist

• PA legislature House Bill 81 enacted 10/29/2020 and became effective 12/27/2020.
• Must have completed program sponsored by nationally recognized institutional or programmatic accreditation and maintains certification or Has completed appropriate military training program or Maintains certification from accredited program or Was employed as a surg tech in a health care facility on or before effective date of the act (12/27/2020) or Employed as a surg tech at another health care facility two years before effective date (12/27/2020). Continuing education requirements: Compliance with continuing ed requirements specified by the credentialing organization for certification. For individuals not certified – must complete 30 hours of continuing ed every two years.
• Specialty experience: Surgical specialties include but are not limited to: general, orthopedic, vascular, plastic and reconstructive, obstetrics and gynecology, thoracic, ophthalmic, neurosurgery, organ procurement and endoscopic surgical settings. Access to medications is limited to the distribution of the medication to the nurse.
• Note: Staff employed to practice surgical technology by the health care facility on or before the effective date of the law (12/27/2020) or who were employed as a surg tech at another health care facility two years before effective date of the law are grandfathered and therefore not required to have certification. New graduates of a program sponsored by nationally recognized institutional or programmatic accreditation can work for six months prior to certification but must be certified within six months of program completion. Entry level job 0-2 years experience., NY State Law: Public Health Law 2824 Chapter 292 of the Laws of 2013 enacted 01/01/2015. A healthcare facility may employ or otherwise contract with a person who does not meet the requirements of subdivision three of this section to function as a surgical technologist in a healthcare facility if:(a) after a diligent and thorough effort has been made, the healthcare facility is unable to employ or contract with a sufficient number of qualified surgical technologists who meet the requirements of this section;(b) the healthcare facility makes a written record of its efforts under paragraph (a) of this subdivision and retains the record at the healthcare facility; and(c) the person meets the requirements of subdivision three of this section within two years of the start of employment or contracting for the performance of surgical technology.

  Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

• CPR required based on AHA standards that include both a didactic and skills demonstration component within 30 days of hire
• Certification Details – Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) or Technologist Surgery Certified (TSC) within 6 months of program completion: Exception: A health care facility may employ individuals who do not meet the certification requirements if after a diligent and thorough effort has been made they are unable to employ a sufficient number of qualified surg techs who meet the requirements (i.e. certification) and a written record of efforts is made and retained at the health care facility. (1. Recruitment efforts are documented and can be supplied for this record. 2. The supply of certified or eligible to be certified surg techs does not meet the needs of the organization).
• PA legislature House Bill 81 enacted 10/29/2020 and became effective 12/27/2020.
• Provides evidence that the individual maintains a surgical technologist certification from an accredited certification program or was employed to practice surgical technology by the healthcare facility on or before the effective date of this section or was employed to practice surgical technology as the individual’s primary function in another health care facility at any time during the two years immediately preceding the effective date of this section. 
• Basic Life Support (BLS) OR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Certified Surgical Technologists (CST) OR Tech in Surgery-Certified (TSC)
• Act 34

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