IAHCSMM VIEWPOINT
Tennessee Central Service technician law FAQ
by Josephine Colacci, Esq., Government Affairs Director for IAHCSMM
The Tennessee Central Service technician law requires new CS technicians to be certifi ed and all CS technicians to maintain con- tinuing education credits. Certain individuals are grandfathered in and do not have to be certifi ed (“grandfathering” is a provision in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations, while a new rule will apply to all future cases). The law requires 10 hours of continuing education for all practicing CS technicians annually (even for those who were grandfathered).
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Hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers are required to have newly-hired CS technicians certifi ed; however, these healthcare institutions are subject to other conditions. Please see other questions below.
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having to become certifi ed? Yes, provided the non-certifi ed CS technician meets the grandfa- thering clause requirement. To be grandfathered as a CS techni- cian, a CS technician must provide a written request to his/her existing healthcare institution to obtain evidence that he/she was employed as a CS technician in a healthcare institution prior to January 1, 2017. Therefore, individuals who had different job titles may not switch facilities by being grandfathered in as CS technicians. He/she must be certifi ed as a CRCST or CSPDT to switch facilities and work as a CS technician.
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grandfathered? Yes.
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May healthcare institutions require CRCST or CSPDT as a condition of employment, even if an individual is
May a person who was employed as a non-certifi ed CS technician prior to January 1, 2017, switch facilities without
Which healthcare institutions are required to have certifi ed CS technicians?
hat follows are frequently asked questions regarding the Tennessee Central Service (CS) technician law. The full document may be found at
https://www.iahcsmm.org/
images/Advocacy/Certifi cation_Bills/TNFAQ.pdf.
What does the Tennessee Central Service technician law require?
Who may healthcare institutions hire as CS technicians? A CS technician must provide evidence to his/her em- ployer of meeting one of the following requirements: a. Successfully passed a nationally accredited CS technician exam, and holds and maintains CRCST or CSPDT; or b. Provides evidence of employment as a CS technician in a healthcare institution prior to January 1, 2017.
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c. As of January 1, 2017, when the law went into effect, a health- care institution may employ a person who has not passed the certifi cation exam for two years from the date of hire. By the two-year anniversary of the individual’s hire date, he/she must obtain the CRCST or CSPDT.
Yes. As of January 1, 2017, when the law went into effect, a healthcare institution may employ a person who has not passed the certifi cation exam for two years from the date of hire. By the two-year anniversary of the individual’s hire date, he or she must obtain the CRCST or CSPDT.
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May a healthcare institution hire a person who is not certi- fi ed, but has been employed as a CS technician in a health- care institution prior to January 1, 2017? Yes. A healthcare institution may hire someone as a CS techni- cian if he/she was employed as a CS technician in a healthcare institution prior to January 1, 2017. Healthcare institutions may require CS technicians to hold CRCST or CSPDT credentials. HPN
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Please note: The International Association of Healthcare Central Ser- vice Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) and Josephine M. Colacci, Esq., provide the information in this document for informational purposes only and do not offer legal advice. IAHCSMM and Colacci recommend that individuals or healthcare facilities consult with their attorneys for answers to legal questions. The information in this document should not be considered complete or exhaustive and may not refl ect the most current information. As a result, IAHCSMM and Colacci do not represent that the information in this document is complete, accurate and up-to-date.
May a healthcare institution hire a person who has not yet passed the certifi cation exam?
40 October 2017 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS •
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