Minn. Stat. § 148.781 — MN Code / Part 144_159 / Chapter 148 / Section 148.781
§ 148.781 CENTRAL SERVICE TECHNICIAN.
Status: in_force

§ Subdivision 1. Application. This section applies to persons who perform the functions of a central service technician in a health care facility.

§ Subd. 2. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given: (1) "central service technician" means a person who decontaminates, inspects, assembles, packages, and sterilizes reusable medical instruments or devices used by a health care facility; (2) "health care facility" means a hospital or ambulatory surgical center; and (3) "health care practitioner" means an individual regulated by a health-related licensing board as defined in section 214.01, subdivision 2 , or by the commissioner of health under sections 148.511 to 148.5198 , to the extent the individual provides services in a health care facility and the tasks of a central service technician are within the individual's scope of practice. Health care practitioner includes an intern, resident, or fellow who performs or assists with surgery.

§ Subd. 3. Requirements for central service technician. (a) A health care facility shall employ or otherwise retain the services of a central service technician only if the central service technician: (1) has successfully passed a nationally accredited examination for central service technicians and holds and maintains one of the following credentials administered by a nationally accredited central service technician credentialing organization: a certified registered central service technician credential, a certified endoscope reprocessor credential, a certified sterile processing and distribution technician credential, or a certified flexible endoscope reprocessor credential; or (2) provides evidence that the person was employed by or was retained as a central service technician by a health care facility on or before December 31, 2027. (b) A central service technician who does not meet the requirements of paragraph (a), clause (1), shall have 24 months from the date of hire to obtain a certified registered central service technician credential, a certified endoscope reprocessor credential, a certified sterile processing and distribution technician credential, or a certified flexible endoscope reprocessor credential. (c) A person who qualifies to operate as a central service technician in a health care facility under paragraph (a) must annually complete ten hours of continuing education credits to remain qualified to operate as a central service technician. The continuing education required under this paragraph must be related to the functions of a central service technician. (d) Nothing in this subdivision shall prohibit the following persons from performing the tasks or functions of a central service technician: (1) a health care practitioner; (2) a person who holds or maintains a registration, certification, or license by a nationally accredited credentialing organization to perform health care services; or (3) a student or intern performing the functions of a central service technician under the direct supervision of a health care practitioner as part of the student's or intern's training or internship. (e) A health care facility shall, upon the written request of a central service technician, verify in writing the central service technician's dates of employment or the contract period during which the central service technician provided services to the health care facility.