ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
dialysis technicians;
standards; quality committee
Requires hemodialysis
treatment facilities to use certified hemodialysis technicians. Creates the
Dialysis Quality Committee (Committee).
The Council of Nephrology
Nurses and Technicians defines a hemodialysis technician as a person who
provides assistance, under the supervision of a licensed physician or
registered nurse, in the care of patients undergoing hemodialysis
treatment. A technician’s
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 (ESRD) Coalition of Arizona and the Department of Health Services (DHS), there are approximately 500 hemodialysis technicians treating between 4,000 and 5,000 patients at 90 hemodialysis units in this State. Of those technicians, 83 have voluntarily sought and maintained certification from the Board of Nephrology Examiners, Nursing and Technology. Application for certification through this organization requires the applicant to complete high school (or the equivalent), 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.
Two years ago, the Senate Health and House of Representatives Health Committees of Reference (COR) 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. H.B. 2359 requires all hemodialysis treatment facilities to use certified hemodialysis technicians and establishes the Dialysis Quality Committee to recommend minimum training requirements for hemodialysis technician trainees.
According to DHS, there is
no cost associated with this bill.
1. Requires, beginning on January 1, 2004, hemodialysis treatment facilities to use hemodialysis technicians who are certified by a national association that certifies technicians or meet training requirements as prescribed by DHS.
2. Classifies, beginning on January 1, 2004, an employee who provides dialysis treatment and who is not certified as a hemodialysis technician trainee.
3. Requires DHS to establish in rule appropriate clinical practice restrictions for hemodialysis technician trainees.
4. Prohibits a hemodialysis technician trainee who has not passed the national certification examination within six months after employment or who has not met the minimum training requirements of DHS from providing hemodialysis treatment in any facility.
5. Requires hemodialysis treatment facilities to maintain verification of certification or a signed document verifying the technician’s compliance with training requirements of DHS in the technician’s personnel file.
6. 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.
7. Establishes the 14-member Committee to:
(a) study quality of care issues;
(b) create a consumer quality perception tracking system;
(c) make recommendations to the Legislature of changes to dialysis certification and training requirements;
(d) meet regularly with stakeholders to improve end-stage renal disease services;
(e) evaluate available resources to improve dialysis services; and
(f) determine available training resources for dialysis technicians.
8. Requires the Committee to recommend minimum training requirements for dialysis technicians to DHS.
9. Requires DHS to adopt in rule the Committee’s recommendations by December 15, 2003.
10. Requires the Committee to provide a minimum of two opportunities for public comment.
11. Requires the Committee to report its findings to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by November 15, 2003.
12. Exempts DHS from the rule making process for one year to implement rules relating to minimum training requirements.
13. Repeals the Committee on July 1, 2004.
14. Provides for a general effective date.
HEA 2/11/02 DPA 7-0-0-3
3rd Read 2/18/02 54-0-6-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
March 22, 2002