Cal. HSC § 106985 — California Code / Code hsc / Division 104 / Part 1 / Chapter 4 / Article 5 / Section 106985
Section 106985
Status: in_force

(a) (1) Notwithstanding Section 2052 of the Business and Professions Code or any other law, a radiologic technologist certified pursuant to the Radiologic Technology Act (Section 27) may, under the direct supervision of a licensed physician and surgeon, and in accordance with the facility’s protocol that meets, at a minimum, the requirements described in paragraph (2), perform venipuncture in an upper extremity to administer contrast materials, manually or by utilizing a mechanical injector, if the radiologic technologist has been deemed competent to perform that venipuncture, in accordance with paragraph (3), and issued a certificate, as described in subdivision (b).

(2) (A) In administering contrast materials, a radiologic technologist may, to ensure the security and integrity of the needle’s placement or of an existing intravenous cannula, use a saline-based solution that conforms with the facility’s protocol and that has been approved by a licensed physician and surgeon. The protocol shall specify that only contrast materials or pharmaceuticals approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration may be used and shall also specify that the use shall be in accordance with the labeling.

(B) A person who is currently certified as meeting the standards of competence in nuclear medicine technology pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 107150) and who is authorized to perform a computerized tomography scanner only on a dual-mode machine, as described in Section 106976, may perform the conduct described in this subdivision.

(3) Prior to performing venipuncture pursuant to paragraph (1), a radiologic technologist shall have performed at least 10 venipunctures on live humans under the personal supervision of a licensed physician and surgeon, a registered nurse, or a person the physician or nurse has previously deemed qualified to provide personal supervision to the technologist for purposes of performing venipuncture pursuant to this paragraph. Only after completion of a minimum of 10 venipunctures may the supervising individual evaluate whether the technologist is competent to perform venipuncture under direct supervision. The number of venipunctures required in this paragraph are in addition to those performed for meeting the requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (d). The facility shall document compliance with this subdivision.

(b) The radiologic technologist shall be issued a certificate as specified in subdivision (e) or by an instructor indicating satisfactory completion of the training and education described in subdivision (d). This certificate documents completion of the required education and training and may not, by itself, be construed to authorize a person to perform venipuncture or to administer contrast materials.

(c) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Direct supervision” means the direction of procedures authorized by this section by a licensed physician and surgeon who shall be either:

(A) Physically present within the facility and immediately available to intervene.

(B) Available immediately via audio and video communication with access to the patient’s medical imaging records and have the ability to intervene by directing other onsite personnel.

(2) “Personal supervision,” for purposes of this section, means the oversight of the procedures authorized by this section by a supervising individual identified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) who is physically present to observe, and correct, as needed, the performance of the individual who is performing the procedure.

(d) The radiologic technologist shall have completed both of the following:

(1) Received a total of 10 hours of instruction, including all of the following:

(A) Anatomy and physiology of venipuncture sites.

(B) Venipuncture instruments, intravenous solutions, and related equipment.

(C) Puncture techniques.

(D) Techniques of intravenous line establishment.

(E) Hazards and complications of venipuncture.

(F) Postpuncture care.

(G) Composition and purpose of antianaphylaxis tray.

(H) First aid and basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

(2) Performed 10 venipunctures on a human or training mannequin upper extremity (for example, an infusion arm or a mannequin arm) under personal supervision. If performance is on a human, only an upper extremity may be used.

(e)  Schools for radiologic technologists shall include the training and education specified in subdivision (d). Upon satisfactory completion of the training and education, the school shall issue to the student a completion document. This document may not be construed to authorize a person to perform venipuncture or to administer contrast materials.

(f)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize a radiologic technologist to perform arterial puncture, any central venous access procedures including repositioning of previously placed central venous catheter except as specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), or cutdowns, or establish an intravenous line.

(g) This section shall not be construed to apply to a person who is currently certified as meeting the standards of competence in nuclear medicine technology pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 107150), except as provided in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a).

(h) Radiologic technologists who met the training and education requirements of subdivision (d) prior to January 1, 2013, need not repeat those requirements, or perform the venipunctures specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), provided the facility documents that the radiologic technologist is competent to perform the tasks specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).

(i) (1) (A) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the facility shall have safety protocols and personnel onsite who have the appropriate license to respond to adverse events at the physician’s direction.

(B) The onsite personnel described in subparagraph (A) shall be licensed or certified as a physician and surgeon, registered nurse, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or physician assistant.

(2) A facility allowing only direct supervision as defined in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) need only have safety protocols.