Finding scopes of practice for techs and what not ?

[mhy12784]

Apparently earlier this year there was some law change in my state, and now surgical technologist are no longer allowed to "apply sterile dressings"

So now at my hospital techs are allowed to put nothing on the patient and either the surgeon or circulator nurse must put dressings on the patient.

I pulled up the law and its wording is kind of vague (very vague)

Anyone know how to go about finding the specifics of what they can and cannot do ? Because at my hospital they arent even allowed to help put on steri strips or bandaids which seems pretty absurd to me.

Ive been going about trying to find some research to see exactly how far this goes (because the no bandaids or steri's seems kind of crazy to me)

Its for the state of NY if that helps

[mhy12784]

This is literally the only thing I can find on the subject

https://www.ast.org/uploadedFiles/Main_Site/Content/Public_Policy/NY_Surg_Tech_Law_FAQs.pdf

Does the New York surgical technologist change the scope of practice for surgicaltechnologists in New York?No. While the New York surgical technologist defines surgical technology, this definition doesnot change the scope of practice for surgical technologists in New York. In the operating room,surgical technologists work under supervision of physicians and nurses. The New York surgicaltechnologist law states that surgical technologists may perform any tasks incidental to surgeryas long as it is directed by the surgeon, except for tasks limited to licensed professions such as:(A) retracting tissue to expose the operating field during a surgical procedure;(B) administering any medication by any route, including local and topical medications;© placing hemostatic instruments or devices or applying cautery or tying off bleeders;(D) applying sutures or assisting with or performing wound closure;(E) assisting the surgeon in identifying structures that should not be ligated; and(F) applying wound dressings.The above tasks (A-F) are the same tasks set forth by the Department of Education in the late1990's. Thus, the New York surgical technologist education and certification law passed in 2013 didnot change the scope of practice for surgical technologists.