§ 2824 — Central service technicians

* § 2824. Central service technicians. 1. For the purposes of this\nsection, the terms:\n (a) "central service technician" shall mean a person who provides the\nservices of decontamination, preparation, packaging, sterilization, and\nstorage and distribution of reusable medical instrumentation or devices\nin healthcare facilities other than in the course of practicing as a\nhealthcare professional.\n (b) "healthcare facility" shall mean general hospital as defined by\nsubdivision ten of section twenty-eight hundred one of this article or a\nhospital as defined by subdivision one of section twenty-eight hundred\none of this article operating as a diagnostic and treatment center\nauthorized to provide ambulatory surgical services.\n (c) "healthcare professional" shall mean a person licensed or\ncertified pursuant to title eight of the education law.\n 2. A person shall not function as a central service technician in a\nhealthcare facility and a healthcare facility shall not employ or\notherwise contract for the services of a central service technician\nunless the person meets one of the following:\n (a) (i) has successfully passed a nationally accredited central\nservice exam for central service technicians; and (ii) holds and\nmaintains one of the following credentials administered by a nationally\naccredited central service technician credentialing organization: the\ncertified registered central service technician credential, the\ncertified sterile processing and distribution technician credential or a\nsubstantially equivalent credential; or\n (b) provides evidence that the person was employed or otherwise\ncontracted for the services as a central service technician in a\nhealthcare facility for a cumulative period of one year, occurring\nwithin the four years immediately prior to the effective date of this\nsection. In furtherance of this paragraph, any contractor or employer of\npersons functioning as a central service technician on the effective\ndate of this section shall confirm in writing to each employee or\ncontractor his or her employment in a capacity functioning as a central\nservice technician in a healthcare facility as of the effective date of\nthis section; or\n (c) is a student or intern performing the functions of a central\nservice technician if the student or intern is under the direct\nsupervision of an appropriately licensed or certified healthcare\nprofessional and is functioning within the scope of the student's or\nintern's training.\n 3. A central service technician who does not meet the requirements of\nparagraph (b) of subdivision two of this section shall have eighteen\nmonths from the date of hire to obtain the certified registered central\nservice technician credential or the certified sterile processing and\ndistribution technician credential.\n 4. A person who qualifies to function as a central service technician\nin a healthcare facility under paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision two\nof this section must annually complete ten hours of continuing education\ncredits to remain qualified to function as a central service technician.\n 5. (a) A central service technician shall document in writing good\ncause that prevents compliance with the continuing education requirement\nas prescribed in subdivision four of this section, which shall include\nany of the following reasons: a medical condition which requires an\nextended leave of absence and is documented by an appropriate healthcare\nprofessional, or extended active duty with the armed forces of the\nUnited States. If one of these conditions is met, an extension to\nmeeting the continuing education requirement, as prescribed in\nsubdivision four of this section, may be granted by:\n (i) the accrediting agency of a central service technician qualifying\nunder paragraph (a) of subdivision two of this section; or\n (ii) a healthcare facility employing or contracting a central service\ntechnician under paragraph (b) of subdivision two of this section.\n (b) If an extension is granted, a central service technician shall\ncomplete all past due continuing education requirements within ninety\ndays upon resolution of the medical condition or termination of extended\nactive duty with the armed forces of the United States.\n 6. A healthcare facility may employ or otherwise contract with a\nperson who does not meet the requirements of subdivision two of this\nsection to function as a central service technician in a healthcare\nfacility if:\n (a) after a diligent and thorough effort has been made, the healthcare\nfacility is unable to employ or contract with a sufficient number of\nqualified central service technicians who meet the requirements of this\nsection;\n (b) the healthcare facility makes a written record of its efforts\nunder paragraph (a) of this subdivision and retains the record at the\nhealthcare facility; and\n (c) the person meets the requirements of paragraph (a) of subdivision\ntwo of this section within two years of the start of employment or\ncontracting for the performance of central service technician duties.\n 7. A healthcare facility that employs or contracts with a central\nservice technician shall upon request of another healthcare facility, or\nupon request of a central service technician employed by, formerly\nemployed by or contracted to perform as a central service technician at\nthe healthcare facility, verify the dates of employment or contract of\nsuch person.\n 8. Nothing in this section shall prohibit any healthcare professional\nfrom performing central service technicians' tasks or functions if the\nperson is acting within the scope of his or her practice. Nothing in\nthis section shall mean that any individual not licensed pursuant to\ntitle eight of the education law may perform tasks or functions limited\nto the scope of practice of a healthcare professional under such title.\n 9. The commissioner shall promulgate regulations as he or she may deem\nappropriate to effectuate the purposes of this section.\n * NB There are 2 § 2824's\n