A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 44-7-375 SO AS TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR WORKING AS CENTRAL SERVICE TECHNICIANS, to provide requirements for HEALTHCARE FACILITIES TO EMPLOY OR RETAIN CENTRAL SERVICE TECHNICIANS, TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS, AND TO PROVIDE DEFINITIONS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  Article 3, Chapter 7, Title 44 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 44-7-375.  (A)(1) The purpose and intent of this section are to ensure that central service technicians:

           (a) employed in this State meet minimum requirements for safe practice as a member of a surgical care team; and

           (b) failing to meet certain minimum competencies or otherwise presenting a danger to the public health and safety be prohibited from providing central service technician services in this State.

        (2) As used in this section:

            (a) "Central service technician" means a person who decontaminates, inspects, assembles, packages, and sterilizes reusable medical instruments or devices being used by a healthcare facility in this State.

            (b) "Healthcare facility" has the same meaning as found in Section 44-7-130(15).

           (c) "Healthcare practitioner" has the same meaning as found in Section 44-7-510(5).

    (B)(1) A healthcare facility may not employ or otherwise retain the services of a central service technician unless he provides evidence to the satisfaction of the facility that he:

           (a) has successfully passed a nationally accredited central service exam for central service technicians and holds and maintains one of the following credentials administered by a nationally accredited central service technician credentialing organization:

               (i) the certified registered central service technician credential;

               (ii) the certified sterile processing and distribution technician credential; or

               (iii) a substantially equivalent credential; or

           (b) was employed as a central service technician by a healthcare facility or was retained to provide the services of a central service technician by a healthcare facility before January 1, 2027.

       (2) A central service technician who does not meet the requirements of subsection (A) has eighteen months from the date of hire at a healthcare facility to obtain the certified registered central service technician credential or the certified sterile processing and distribution technician credential as provided in subsection (A)(1). During this eighteen month period he may provide central service technician services in the facility on a probationary basis if he meets the other requirements of this section, but if he fails to obtain either credential during this eighteen month period he may not work as a central service technician in any healthcare facility in this State until he obtains at least one of the credentials and complies with the other requirements of this section.

    (C) A person who qualifies to function as a central service technician in a healthcare facility pursuant to this section shall annually complete ten hours of continuing education credits to remain qualified to perform the functions of a central service technician. This continuing education must be related to the functions of a central service technician.

    (D) Nothing in this section prohibits the following persons from performing the tasks or functions of a central service technician:

        (1) a healthcare practitioner;

        (2) a student or intern performing the functions of a central service technician under the direct supervision of a healthcare practitioner as part of the student's or intern's training or internship; or

        (3) a person who holds or maintains a registration, certification, or license by a nationally accredited credentialing organization to perform healthcare services.

    (E)(1) A healthcare facility that employs or retains a person to serve as a central service technician shall verify that the person meets the credentialing requirements of subsection (B) and the continuing education requirements of subsection (C).

       (2) A healthcare facility shall supervise each person employed or retained by the facility to provide central service technician services according to the facility's policies and procedures to ensure that the person competently performs delegated tasks according to this section or other applicable provisions of law.

       (3)(a) A healthcare facility shall maintain a record of each person employed or retained by the facility to provide central service technician services, including:

               (i) verification of the requirements of item (1); and

               (ii) the dates of employment or retention.

           (b) A person currently or previously employed or retained by a healthcare facility to provide central service technician services at the facility may provide a written request of a printed copy of his records maintained by the facility pursuant to subitem (a) and the facility shall provide a printed copy of such records to him within three business days of the request at no charge.

 

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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