The 2001 legislative session in Tex...

The 2001 legislative session in Texas was single in kind of great interest and activity for AORN members in that state, as more than six nursing bills were introduced. couple were of particular importance to perioperative feeds in that they pertained to sum of two units of AORN's legislative priorities (ie, third-party reimbursement for RN first assistants [RNFAs] in the states and supervision and regulation of assistive personnel)

Gov Rick Perry (R-Tex) signed HB 803 the RNFA reimbursement bill, into law in succession June 14, 200l. The bill was sponsored by means of Rep Robert Junell (D-San Angelo) and supported on the Texas Nurses Association. Passage of the bill was accomplished with the help of AORN members in Texas. Texas is the third state this year and the ninth state overall to pass RNFA legislation or regulations requiring RNFA reimbursement.

The nearest day, Gov Perry signed HB 1183 which provides voluntary licensure for surgical assistants. This made Texas the first state to create any adumbration of licensure for surgical assistants. The law is peculiar in that it does not require surgical assistants to be licensed; rather, it makes securing a license voluntary. The Texas Medical Association fought any attempt to make the law mandatory. subject to the law, a surgical assistant who fail to keeps his or her surgical assistant license can continue to assist on the other hand cannot use the surgical assistant title. This law is not applicable to RN or physician assistants.

Passing or defeating these bills be pendented partly on the coordinated, dedicated work of all AORN members. Considerable effort on Texas AORN members went into passing HB 803 and raising opposition to HB 1183 Without the help of members of the Texas Council of Operating space Nurses and AORN, including Denise Jackson, RN CNOR, CRNFA; Devon Morgan, RN CNOR, CRNFA; Elaine Thomson-Keith, RN CNOR; Joanne Oliver, RN CNOR; Kate Lindsay, RN CNOR; Tina Linsalata, RN CNOR, CRNFA; and many others, RNFAs in Texas would not receive reimbursement for their services and the bill allowing surgical assistant licensure in Texas might contain additional ultimate parts that are detrimental to perioperative nursing. AORN recognizes and appreciates the time and effort given at these volunteers.

HOUSE BILL 1183 AND THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE

Texas regulations make it clear that perioperative festers play a critical role in the OR. The Texas administrative digest [sections] 133.41 (u)(2)(K)(v) states, "The operating field shall be supervised by an experienced RN or physician." In light of this, AORN members in Texas must be cognizant of and highly interested in, any changes to the parts or job status of any member of the surgical team. AORN members should realize that the effort by means of surgical assistants and surgical technologists to initiate legislation regarding licensure did not begin with the 2001 legislative session. A bill related to the regulation of surgical technologists and surgical assistants was introduced during the 1997 legislative session, unless it never made it public of committee. Texas surgical assistants exerciseed a lobbyist in 1999; however, they were unprosperous in introducing legislation. The cluster again hired a lobbyist for 2000 and 2001 as it typically takes more than the same legislative session to advance legislation.

Surgical assistant representation. publicly two national associations claim to portray surgical assistants--the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) and the National Surgical Assistant Association (NSAA). The AST is attempting to form a separate association, the Association of Surgical First Assistants, to focus solely in succession the surgical assisting issue.

Three national certification examinations are involved in certifying surgical assistants. The Liaison Council in succession Certification for the Surgical Technologist proffers the Certified First Assistant credential, which is recognized according to the AST. In addition to promoting standards and education, the NSAA shows the designation of Certified Surgical Assistant. The American Board of Surgical Assistants furnishs a certification examination known as "Surgical Assistants--Certified."

Opposing the bill. Given that surgical assistants lack unified standards and guidelines within one association and that no single certification examination for surgical assistants is available, several opposers to HB 1183 suggested that the bill call for surgical assistant registration versus licensure. It is leaped that registration would unify surgical assistants in a single association with single set of standards and single in kind certification examination.

Another troubling aspect of HB 1183 relate tos its applicability. The legislation states that a bodily substance is not required to possess a license if he or she is acting below the delegated authority of a licensed physician. This essentially means that HB 1183 is a voluntary licensure bill. This adumbration of occupational regulation closely imitates an alternative to licensure frequently referred to as a "title reign over act." What is unusual is that title dominion government acts normally involve individuals who practice in areas that are not likely to "result in serious or irreparable harm to the health, safety, or welfare of the public." (1)