ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
CORRECTED
REVISED
dialysis technicians;
training requirements
Purpose
Requires hemodialysis
treatment facilities to use certified hemodialysis technicians.
Background
The Council of Nephrology
Nurses and Technicians defines a hemodialysis technician as a persons who
provides assistance, under the supervision of a licensed physician or
registered nurse, in the care of patients undergoing hemodialysis
treatment. A technicians
responsibilities include establishing access to the bloodstream and determining
the amount of fluid volume to be removed in a single treatment after reviewing
established criteria and physician orders for appropriate prescription
treatment delivery.
Currently, several states
regulate hemodialysis technicians; Arizona does not regulate this health care
profession. According to the End Stage
Renal Disease Coalition of Arizona and the Department of Health Services (DHS),
there are more than 500 hemodialysis technicians treating more than 4,000
patients at 80 hemodialysis units in this State. Of those technicians, approximately 50 have voluntarily sought
and maintained certification from the Board of Nephrology Examiners, Nursing
and Technology or the National Nephrology Certification Organization. Application for certification through either
of these organizations requires the applicant to complete high school (or the
equivalent) and complete an accredited hemodialysis program or at least one
year of experience in an ESRD facility or in nephrology technology, and
successfully complete the certification examination.
Last year, the Senate Health
and House of Representatives Health Committees of Reference held a sunrise
hearing to determine whether to recommend regulation for hemodialysis
technicians. The COR recommended the
Legislature require hemodialysis treatment facilities to use only hemodialysis
technicians who are certified by a national certification organization.
According to DHS, there is
no cost associated with this bill.
Provisions
1. Requires hemodialysis treatment facilities to use hemodialysis technicians who are certified by a national hemodialysis technician certification organization.
2. Designates an employee who provides dialysis treatment and who is not certified as a hemodialysis technician trainee.
3. Prohibits a hemodialysis technician trainee who has not passed the national certification examination within a two-year period from providing dialysis treatment in any facility.
4. Requires DHS to establish in rule appropriate clinical practice restrictions for hemodialysis technician trainees.
5. Requires the hemodialysis treatment facilities to maintain verification of certifications in the personnel files.
6. Specifies employees who currently provide hemodialysis treatment have until April 1, 2004 to become certified.
7. Exempts DHS from the rule making process for one year to implement the rules relating to the clinical practice restrictions for hemodialysis technician trainees.
8. Defines “hemodialysis technician” as a person who, under the direct supervision of a physician or nurse, provides assistance in the treatment of patients who receive hemodialysis treatment for end stage renal disease.
9. Contains an April 1, 2002 delayed effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Classifies “hemodialysis technician trainee.”
2. Prohibits a trainee from providing hemodialysis in any facility if the trainee fails to pass the national examination within a two-year period.
3. Requires DHS to establish appropriate clinical practice restrictions for trainees.
4. Exempts DHS from the rule making process for one year to adopt rules relating to this act.
5. Changes the delayed effective date from January 1, 2003 to April 1, 2002.
Senate Action
HEA 2/13/01 DP 7-0-1-0
3rd Read 3/5/01 27-2-1-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
April 16, 2001