Establishes training and registration requirements for kidney dialysis patient care technicians

BILL NUMBER:S3985

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing training and registration requirements for kidney dialysis patient care technicians

Purpose

This bill establishes training and registration requirements for kidney dialysis patient care technicians. The rules shall have clearly defined criteria for evaluating each trainee's attainment of training goals and competency. The bill prohibits a person from using the title "kidney dialysis patient care technician" unless they have completed the requirements and registered with the Department of Health.

Summary of provisions

Section 1: Adds a new Article 37-B to the public health law. The provisions are as follows:

Section 3720 - Adds definitions for kidney dialysis patient care technicians and kidney dialysis patient care technician trainees.

Section 3721 - The Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, shall establish training requirements for kidney dialysis patient care technicians. Such requirements shall have clearly defined criteria for evaluating and training such persons. The law provides who may provide training of such technicians and the topics to be studied by such technician trainees.

Section 3722 - No person may use the title of such technician or perform the work of a kidney dialysis patient care technician without satisfying the provisions of this act.

Section 3723 - This bill grants an exemption for certain technicians so that they will have sufficient time to satisfy the training requirements of the act. Further, this will ensure that there is a readily available supply of such technicians so that such services can be provided in the near term, but with the understanding that in the long term all technicians will be trained and qualified to perform such services.

Existing law

None.

Justification

Currently, there are no baseline educational or training requirements that need to be satisfied before a person can become a kidney dialysis patient care technician. An individual is only required to complete a health care facility based orientation usually lasting 6 to 8 weeks.

This may be insufficient time to properly train and orient such a technician for all of the duties of their job. However, the current

system expects dialysis technicians to be a fully functional team member in this specialized field of medicine. Since there are no standardized training programs, the existing orientation programs can differ dramatically within a facility and between facilities. This lack of standardization can negatively impact patient care.

Legislative history

2013-14: S.2840 - Referred to Health 2011-12: S.1157/A.455 - Referred to Health 2010: S.7508/ A.10395 - Referred to Health

Fiscal implications

None.

Local fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect one year after enactment, with provisions.