Florida Senate - 2013                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 360
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 607500                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  04/02/2013           .                                
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       The Committee on Health Policy (Garcia) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Subsection (11) is added to section 395.0191,
    6  Florida Statutes, to read:
    7         395.0191 Staff membership and clinical privileges.—
    8         (11) SURGICAL ASSISTANTS AND SURGICAL TECHNOLOGISTS.—
    9         (a) Definitions.—As used in this subsection, the term:
   10         1. “Certified surgical assistant” means a surgical
   11  assistant who maintains valid and active one of the following
   12  certifications:
   13         a. Certified Surgical First Assistant from the National
   14  Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.
   15         b. Certified Surgical Assistant from the National Surgical
   16  Assistant Association.
   17         c. Surgical Assistant-Certified from the American Board of
   18  Surgical Assistants.
   19         2. “Certified surgical technologist” means a surgical
   20  technologist who maintains valid and active certification as a
   21  Certified Surgical Technologist from the National Board of
   22  Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.
   23         3. “Surgeon” means any health care practitioner as defined
   24  in chapter 456 whose scope of practice includes performing
   25  surgery and who is listed as the primary surgeon in the
   26  operative record.
   27         4. “Surgical assistant” means a person who provides aid
   28  under the supervision of a surgeon in exposure, hemostasis,
   29  closures, and other intraoperative technical functions and
   30  assists the surgeon in performing a safe operation with optimal
   31  results for the patient.
   32         5. “Surgical technologist” means a person who assists and
   33  practices under the supervision of a surgeon to ensure that the
   34  operating room environment is safe, that proper equipment is
   35  available, and that the operative procedure is conducted
   36  efficiently. Surgical technologist duties include, but are not
   37  limited to, maintaining sterility during a surgical procedure,
   38  handling and ensuring the availability of necessary equipment
   39  and supplies, and maintaining visibility of the operative site.
   40         (b) Employment limitations.—
   41         1. A facility may not employ or contract with any person to
   42  perform the duties of a surgical assistant unless the person is
   43  a certified surgical assistant.
   44         2. A facility may not employ or contract with any person to
   45  perform the duties of a surgical technologist unless the person
   46  is a certified surgical technologist.
   47         3. Subparagraphs 1. and 2. do not apply to:
   48         a. A person who was employed or contracted to perform the
   49  duties of a surgical technologist or a surgical assistant at any
   50  time between January 1, 2013, and July 1, 2013.
   51         b. A health care practitioner as defined in chapter 456 or
   52  a student if the duties he or she performs fall within the scope
   53  of the practitioner’s or the student’s training and practice.
   54         c. A person enrolled in a surgical technology or surgical
   55  assisting training program accredited by the Commission on
   56  Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, the
   57  Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, or another
   58  accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of
   59  Education on July 1, 2013. A person may practice as a surgical
   60  technologist or a surgical assistant for 1 year after completion
   61  of such a training program before he or she is required to meet
   62  the criteria in subparagraphs 1. or 2.
   63         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.
   64  
   65  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   66         And the title is amended as follows:
   67         Delete everything before the enacting clause
   68  and insert:
   69                        A bill to be entitled                      
   70         An act relating to surgical assistants and surgical
   71         technologists; amending s. 395.0191, F.S.; providing
   72         definitions; providing requirements for health care
   73         facilities that employ or contract with surgical
   74         assistants and surgical technologists; providing
   75         exceptions to these requirements; providing an
   76         effective date.