studyintotheneedtoregulatesurgicalassistantsand.docVIP

THE VIRGINIA BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS Study into the Need to Regulate Surgical Assistants Surgical Technologists in the Commonwealth of Virginia July 2010 Virginia Board of Health Professions 9960 Mayland Dr, Suite 300 Richmond, VA 23233-1463 (804) 367-4400 Members of the Virginia Board of Health Professions David R. Boehm, L.C.S.W., Chair* Mary Lou Argow Susan Green Chadwick, Au.D.* John A. Cutler Jennifer Edwards, Pharm. D.* Damien Howell, P.T.* Billie W. Hughes Patricia Lane, R.N. Fernando J. Martinez* Juan Montero, II, M.D. Jonathan Noble, O.D. Sandra Price-Stroble Vilma Seymour* Mary M. Smith Demis L. Stewart Michael Stutts, Ph.D. John T. Wise, D.V.M. Paul N. Zimmet, D.D.S. *Denotes Member of the Regulatory Research Committee or Ex Officio Member Staff Elizabeth A. Carter, Ph.D., Executive Director for the Board Justin Crow, Research Assistant for the Board Elaine Yeatts, Senior Regulatory Analyst for the Department Laura Chapman, Operations Manager for the Board This report and all of its sections and appendices were researched and written by: Justin Crow, M.P.A. Research Assistant Board of Health Professions Table of Contents Executive Summary i Authority and Impetus i Major Findings of the Study i Recommendations of the Board of Health Professions iv Background Authority 1 Study Scope Methodology 2 Overview of the Surgical Team 3 Surgery 3 The Surgical Team 4 The Sterile Team 4 Non-sterile Team 5 Managerial Roles 5 Surgical Technologists and Surgical Assistants 6 Supervision of Unlicensed Personnel in the Operating Room 6 Liability 6 Regulation 7 Employment Arrangements 8 In Practice 9 Patient Consent 10 Professional Organization 10 Surgical Technologists 11 Surgical Assistants 11 Scope of Practice 12 Surgical Technologists 12 Surgical Assistants 13 Overlapping Scopes of Practice 15 Scrub Person 16 First Assistant 16 Surgeons, Surgical Residents and