HOUSE BILL NO. 399 Offered January 9, 2008 Prefiled January 4, 2008 A BILL to amend and reenact § 54.1-2729.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the definition of dialysis patient care technician. ---------- Patron-- Hamilton ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 54.1-2729.2 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 54.1-2729.2. Dialysis patient care technician; definition.

"Dialysis patient care technician" or "dialysis care technician" means a person who has obtained certification from an organization approved by the Board of Health Professions to provide, under the supervision of a licensed practitioner of medicine or a registered nurse, direct care to patients undergoing renal dialysis treatments in a Medicare-certified renal dialysis facility. Such direct care may include, but need not be limited to, the administration of heparin, erythropoeitic agents such as Epoetin alfa, Vitamin D, iron, topical needle site anesthetics, dialysis solutions, sterile normal saline solution, and blood volumizers in accordance with the order of a licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant. However, a person who has completed a training program in dialysis patient care may engage in provisional practice to obtain practical experience in providing direct patient care under direct and immediate supervision in accordance with § 54.1-3408, until he has taken and received the results of any examination required by a certifying organization approved by the Board or for 24 months from the date of initial practice, whichever occurs sooner.