Section 1485.10  Application for Registration as a Surgical Assistant

 

An applicant for registration as a surgical assistant shall file an application on forms supplied by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation-Division of Professional Regulation (Division), together with:

 

a)         Certification of completion from a medical education program approved by the Division, or has graduated from a United States Military Program that emphasizes surgical assisting.  The following applicants are considered from an approved program:

 

1)         Individuals who are graduates of a National Surgical Assistant Association approved program of surgical assisting.  The category shall include certificate programs, an associate degree or higher, and formal hospital based programs for surgical assisting.

 

2)         Individuals with 3 consecutive years experience as a surgical first assistant with 750 hours per year.  The individual must provide a signed and notarized affidavit from his or her supervisor attesting to his or her experience and 5 verifiable letters of reference from surgeons he or she has assisted.

 

3)         Individuals with 2 full years of first assisting experience during the last 4 years with 350 documented surgical cases.

 

4)         Individuals who are graduates of a foreign medical school must submit: a copy of the diploma or a reference letter from their medical school (verifying surgical training and experience) and a reference letter from a sponsoring U.S. surgeon who has evaluated the individual's technical skills and aseptic technique;

 

b)         Documentation that the applicant has passed a national certifying examination from the National Surgical Assistant Association on the Certification of Surgical Assistants; the Liaison Council on Certification for Surgical Technologists as a certified first assistant; or the American Board of Surgical Assistants;

 

c)         Proof of current certification by one of the following certifying bodies:

 

1)         National Surgical Assistant Association for the certification of surgical assistants;

 

2)         Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist as a certified first assistant; or

 

3)         American Board of Surgical Assistants;

 

d)         If the applicant has ever been licensed/registered in another state or territory of the United States (jurisdiction), certification, on forms provided by the Division, from the jurisdiction applicant was originally licensed and the jurisdiction applicant predominantly practices and is currently licensed, stating:

 

1)         The time during which the applicant was registered in that jurisdiction, including the date of original issuance of the license; and

 

2)         Whether the file on the applicant contains any record of disciplinary actions taken or pending;

 

e)         The required fee as specified in Section 1485.80.

 

(Source:  Amended at 32 Ill. Reg. 14973, effective September 3, 2008)

 

Section 1485.20  Application for Registration as a Surgical Technologist

 

An applicant for registration as a surgical technologist shall file an application on forms supplied by the Division, together with:

 

a)         Proof of completion of a surgical technologist program approved by the Division;

 

b)         Proof of current certification and successful completion of the Surgical Technologist National Certification Examination provided by the Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist or its successor agency;

 

c)         If the applicant has ever been licensed/registered in another state or territory of the United States, certification, on forms provided by the Division, from the jurisdiction in which the applicant was originally licensed and the jurisdiction in which the applicant predominantly practices and is currently licensed, stating:

 

1)         The time during which the applicant was registered in that jurisdiction, including the date of original issuance of the license; and

 

2)         Whether the file on the applicant contains any record of disciplinary actions taken or pending;

 

d)         The required fee as specified in Section 1485.80.

 

(Source:  Amended at 32 Ill. Reg. 14973, effective September 3, 2008)

 

Section 1485.30  Endorsement

 

a)         An applicant seeking registration in Illinois who is licensed/registered under the laws of another jurisdiction shall file an application with the Division, on forms provided by the Division, that includes:

 

1)         For Surgical Assistant

 

A)        Certification of completion from a medical education program approved by the Division or graduation from a United States Military Program that emphasizes surgical assisting;

 

B)        A complete work history since completion of a surgical assistant program;

 

C)        Verification of successful completion of a national certifying examination set forth in Section 1485.10(c).

 

D)        Current certification by one of the following organizations:

 

i)          National Surgical Assistant Association on Certification of Surgical Assistants;

 

ii)         Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist as a certified first assistant; or

 

iii)        American Board of Surgical Assistants.

 

E)        The required fee set forth in Section 1485.80.

 

2)         For Surgical Technologist

 

A)        Proof of completion of a surgical technologist program approved by the Division;

 

B)        A complete work history since completion of a surgical technologist program;

 

C)        Successful completion of the surgical technologist national certification examination provided by the Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist or its successor agency;

 

D)        Current certification from the Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist or its successor agency and proof that the applicant has met the requirements set forth for certification; and

 

E)        The required fee set forth in Section 1485.80.

 

b)         Certification from the state or territory of the United States in which the applicant was originally licensed, and the states in which the applicant is currently licensed, stating:

 

1)         The time during which the applicant was licensed/registered in that jurisdiction;

 

2)         Whether the file on the applicant contains any record of disciplinary actions taken or pending.

 

c)         The Division shall either issue a registration by endorsement to the applicant or notify him/her of the reasons for the denial of the application.

 

Section 1485.40  Supervision

 

a)         As stated in Section 10 of the Act, all registered surgical assistants and registered surgical technologists shall perform duties only under direct supervision.

 

b)          "Direct supervision" means supervision by an operating physician, licensed podiatrist, or licensed dentist who is physically present and who personally directs delegated acts and remains available to personally respond to an emergency until the patient is released from the operating room.  A registered professional nurse may also provide direct supervision within the scope of his or her license. A registered surgical assistant or registered surgical technologist shall perform duties as assigned. (Section 10 of the Act)

 

Section 1485.50  Renewal

 

a)         Every certification of registration issued under the Act shall expire on April 30 of each even numbered year.  The holder of a certification of registration may renew such registration during the month preceding the expiration date by paying the required fee.

 

b)         It is the responsibility of each registrant to notify the Division of any change of address.  Failure to receive a renewal form from the Division shall not constitute an excuse for failure to renew a registration or pay the renewal fee.

 

Section 1485.60  Inactive Status

 

a)         A registered surgical assistant or surgical technologist who notifies the Division in writing may place his or her registration on inactive status and shall be excused from paying renewal fees until he or she notifies the Division in writing of the intention to resume active practice.

 

b)         Any registered surgical assistant or surgical technologist seeking restoration of a registration that has been on inactive status for 5 years or less shall pay the current renewal fee specified in Section 1485.80 and have the certification of registration restored in accordance with Section 1485.70.

 

Section 1485.70  Restoration

 

a)         Any surgical assistant or surgical technologist whose registration has been expired for 5 years or less may have the registration restored by paying all lapsed renewal fees as required by Section 1485.80.

 

b)         A surgical assistant or surgical technologist who is seeking restoration of a registration that has been inactive for 5 years or less shall have the registration restored upon payment of the current renewal fee.

 

c)         A surgical assistant or surgical technologist seeking restoration of a registration that has been expired or placed on inactive status for more than 5 years shall file an application, on forms supplied by the Division, together with the fee required in Section 1485.80, and show proof of one of the following:

 

1)         Proof of current certification from one of the following:

 

A)        National Surgical Assistant Association for the certification of surgical assistants;

 

B)        Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist; or

 

C)        American Board of Surgical Assistants;

 

2)         Sworn evidence of active practice in another jurisdiction;

 

3)         An affidavit attesting to military service as provided in Section 60 of the Act; or

 

4)         Proof of passage of an examination set forth in Section 1485.10(a)(3) and Section 1485.20(a)(3) during the 24 months preceding application for restoration.

 

Section 1485.80  Fees

 

The following fees shall be paid to the Division and are not refundable:

 

a)         Application Fees

The fee for application for registration as a surgical assistant or surgical technologist is $100.

 

b)         Renewal Fees

            The fee for the renewal of a registration shall be calculated at the rate of $62.50 per year.

 

c)         General Fees

 

1)         The fee for the restoration of a registration other than from inactive status is $20 plus payment of all lapsed renewal fees.

 

2)         The fee for the issuance of a duplicate registration, for the issuance of a replacement registration for a registration that has been lost or destroyed or for the issuance of a registration with a change of name or address, other than during the renewal period, is $20.  No fee is required for name and address changes on Division records when no duplicate registration is issued.

 

3)         The fee for a certification of a registrant's record for any purpose is $20.

 

4)         The fee for a wall certificate showing registration shall be the actual cost of producing the certificate.

 

Section 1485.90  Granting Variances

 

The Director of the Division of Professional Regulation of the Department (Director) may grant variances from this Part in individual cases when he/she finds that:

 

a)         The provision from which the variance is granted is not statutorily mandated;

 

b)         No party will be injured by the granting of the variance;

 

c)         The rule from which the variance is granted would, in the particular case, be unreasonable or unnecessarily burdensome.