1. (1) Anyone representing themselves as a surgical technologist by title or by description as a person who performs tasks in the surgical setting under the delegation of authority of a licensed health care practitioner.
2. (2) For the purposes of this chapter "surgical setting" means any place surgery takes place where the patient is placed in a sterile field.

3. (3) Surgical technologists perform tasks that typically consist of, but are not limited to, the following tasks in a surgical setting:

   1. (a) Prepare basic sterile packs and trays.
   2. (b) Assist with the physical preparation of the operating room, creating the sterile field, and maintaining sterile technique during operative procedure.
   3. (c) Identify and select appropriate packs, trays and accessory/specialty equipment for each surgery.
   4. (d) Prepare supplies and instruments for sterile field.
   5. (e) Assists with the count of instruments, sponges, needles and other surgical items. Surgical technologists are not accountable for the final count of surgical instrumentation.
   6. (f) Pass correct instruments, supplies and sutures as needed by the surgeon.
   7. (g) Sponge or suction the operative site, retract tissue for exposure at the operative site and assist with irrigation under immediate supervision of the licensed health care practitioner.
   8. (h) Cut sutures placed by the authorized health care practitioner.
   9. (i) Prepare specimens for submission for pathological analysis.
   10. (j) Fire automatic staple gun as directed by the licensed health care practitioner for skin stapling. Deep tissue stapling is not allowed.
   11. (k) Move drugs to the sterile field.
4. (4) Registered nurses, practical nurses and other credentialed providers acting within their scope do not need to register.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.215 RCW and RCW 18.130.050. WSR 00-23-119, § 246-939-030, filed 11/22/00, effective 12/23/00.]