Perfusionists - - CA Business And Professions

Section § 2590

This law defines 'perfusion' as activities crucial for managing the heart and circulatory system's functions under a doctor's supervision. Perfusion services include using heart-lung machines, supporting blood flow, managing blood and oxygen levels, and related tasks. Perfusionists must also be trained and certified, with certain grandfather clauses for experienced practitioners. Those who call themselves perfusionists must meet educational and certification requirements, continue their education, and are accountable to specific regulations. Violating this law results in misdemeanor charges.

(a) For purposes of this section, “perfusion” means those functions necessary for the support, treatment, measurement, or supplementation of the cardiovascular system, circulatory system with or without the oxygenation circuit, or any combination of those activities, and to ensure the safe management of physiologic functions by monitoring the necessary parameters of those systems pursuant to an order and under the supervision of a licensed physician and surgeon.

(b) Perfusion services include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) The use of extracorporeal circulation, cardiopulmonary support techniques, and other ancillary therapeutic and diagnostic technologies. “Extracorporeal circulation,” as used in this section, means the diversion of a patient’s blood through a heart-lung machine or a similar device that assumes the functions of the patient’s heart, lungs, or both.

(2) Counterpulsation, ventricular assistance, autotransfusion, including blood conservation techniques, myocardial and organ preservation, extracorporeal life support, and isolated limb perfusion.

(3) The use of techniques involving blood management, advanced life support, and other related functions.

(c) Perfusion services also include, but only during the performance of functions described in subdivision (b), the following:

(1) The administration of pharmacological and therapeutic agents, blood products, or anesthetic agents through the extracorporeal circuit or through an intravenous line as ordered by a physician and surgeon.

(2) The performance and use of anticoagulation analysis, physiologic monitoring, blood gas and chemistry analysis, hematocrit analysis, hypothermia, hyperthermia, hemoconcentration, and hemodilution. Nothing in this paragraph shall exempt perfusionists from the requirements of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1200), including, but not limited to, quality assurance and equipment maintenance requirements.

(3) The observation of signs and symptoms related to perfusion services.

(4) Making a determination whether the signs and symptoms related to perfusion services exhibit abnormal characteristics.

(5) Implementation, based on observed abnormalities, of appropriate reporting, or perfusion protocols, or changes in treatment regimen, pursuant to an order by a physician and surgeon, or the initiation of emergency procedures. “Perfusion protocols” as used in this section means perfusion-related policies and protocols developed or approved by a licensed health facility or a physician and surgeon through collaboration with administrators and health professionals, including perfusionists.

(d) Commencing January 1, 1993, no person shall hold himself or herself out as a perfusionist, unless at the time of doing so the person meets the educational and examination requirements specified in subdivisions (e) and (f).

(e) Except as provided in subdivision (f), persons holding themselves out as perfusionists shall be graduates of a training program described in Section 2592 and produce satisfactory evidence of successful completion of the entire examination of the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion, or its successor agency, or the equivalent thereof if an equivalent is determined to be necessary by the Division of Licensing of the Medical Board of California.

(f) Any person may be deemed to have completed the equivalent of the examination and education requirements if that person is currently certified by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion, or if, as of January 1, 1993, the person has practiced as a perfusionist and has annually performed a minimum of 40 cases of cardiopulmonary bypass during cardiac surgery in a licensed health facility and has done so for at least five years since January 1, 1987. For the purposes of this subdivision, “licensed health facility” means a health facility licensed in any jurisdiction within the United States.

(g) In order to continue to use the title of “perfusionist,” the person shall complete the continuing education requirements of, or maintain active certification by, the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion, or its successor agency, or the equivalent if an equivalent is determined to be necessary by the Division of Licensing of the Medical Board of California.

(h) Any person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.

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(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 677, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1998.)

Section § 2591

If someone finishes a certified perfusion training program, they can call themselves a 'graduate perfusionist' until they pass all parts of the exam by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion. This title can be used for up to three years after completing the program.

(a) After completion of an approved perfusion training program, as defined in Section 2592, and until notification of passage of the entire examination of the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion, or its successor agency, that person shall identify himself or herself only as a “graduate perfusionist.”

(b) The use of the title “graduate perfusionist” is valid for no more than three years from the date of completion of an approved perfusion training program.

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(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 677, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1998.)

Section § 2592

If you want to call yourself a perfusionist in California, you need to have graduated from a recognized training program in perfusion. This means your program should be approved by a specific education committee. If there's a need for an equivalent program, it will be decided by the Medical Board of California.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 2590, all persons calling themselves perfusionists shall be graduates of an approved perfusion training program.

(b) For purposes of this article, an “approved perfusion training program” means a training program in perfusion reviewed by the Accreditation Committee on Perfusion Education and approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs or its successor or the equivalent training program if an equivalent is determined to be necessary by the Division of Licensing of the Medical Board of California.

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(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 677, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1998.)

Section § 2593

This law allows students who are training to become perfusionists to perform perfusion as part of their clinical studies if they are in an approved program. These students must be called either 'student perfusionists' or 'perfusion interns.' While they are practicing, they must be directly supervised by a fully qualified perfusionist, who needs to be on duty and present in the patient care area.

(a) During the period of any clinical training provided by an approved perfusion training program, perfusion may be performed by a student enrolled in the approved perfusion training program when those services are part of his or her course of study.

(b) A person enrolled as a student in an approved perfusion training program shall be identified as a “student perfusionist” or as a “perfusion intern.”

(c) During the period of any clinical training, a student perfusionist or perfusion intern shall be under the direct supervision of a perfusionist who has met all the requirements of this chapter. For purposes of this section, “direct supervision” means assigned to a perfusionist who is on duty and immediately available in the assigned patient care area.

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(Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 343, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1993)

Section § 2595

This section says that the laws covering certain medical services, like perfusion, do not stop other medical professionals from performing these services as long as it's within what they're legally allowed to do. Things like extracorporeal life support are not just for perfusion specialists and can be done by other licensed health professionals if it's within their practice.

Nothing in this chapter shall limit, preclude, or otherwise interfere with the practices of other persons licensed or otherwise authorized to practice under this division in performing perfusion services consistent with the laws governing their respective scopes of practice. None of the activities described in subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 2590, including, but not limited to, extracorporeal life support, shall be construed to be exclusively perfusion services, but may be performed by other licensed persons when consistent with their respective scopes of practice.

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(Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 343, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1993)

Section § 2596

This law reserves the right for California's Medical Board to set up their own standards for perfusionists' exams, continuing education, and training. They will do this if standards set by national perfusion authorities don't work well after at least three years of trying them out. This decision should be made after appropriate consultation.

It is the intent of the Legislature that authority be reserved to the Division of Licensing of the Medical Board of California to adopt examination, continuing education, and training standards for perfusionists, with appropriate consultation, in the event that existing standards of the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion or the Accreditation Committee on Perfusion Education of the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association prove inadequate after an appropriate trial period of at least three years.

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(Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 1267, Sec. 47. Effective January 1, 1994.)