Require Credentials Central Service Technicians

A central service technician (CST) is a person who decontaminates, inspects, assembles, packages, and sterilizes reusable medical instruments or devices in a hospital or ambulatory surgical center. The bill generally prohibits any individual from functioning as a CST unless the individual has successfully passed a nationally accredited exam and holds at least one of 2 professional credentials. The bill also generally prohibits hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers from employing a CST who does not satisfy these requirements.

However, the new requirements do not apply to an individual who:

• Was employed as a CST in one or more hospitals or ambulatory surgical centers for a cumulative period of at least one year during the period beginning December 31, 2015, and ending December 31, 2020;
• Is employed as a CST by a hospital or ambulatory surgical center on December 31, 2020; and
• Remains continuously employed as a CST after December 31, 2020.

Additionally, an individual who does not satisfy the new requirements may function as a CST in a hospital or ambulatory surgical center for up to 18 months so long as the individual continues to make a good-faith effort to satisfy the requirements during this time.

A hospital or ambulatory surgical center may employ a CST who does not satisfy the new requirements if the CST qualifies for one of the described exceptions.

At the request of an individual who was employed as a CST by a hospital or ambulatory surgical center, the hospital or ambulatory surgical center shall verify in writing the individual's dates of employment or the contract period during which the individual provided services.

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)