WEST virginia legislature

2020 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 786

By Senators Rucker and Cline

[Introduced February 14, 2020; referred
to the Committee on Health and Human Resources]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §30-3-10b, relating to the West Virginia Medical Practice Act; recognizing anesthesiologist assistants; providing for scope of practice and supervision; and requiring rules for minimum education and regulation.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 3. WEST VIRGINIA MEDICAL PRACTICE ACT.

§30-3-10b.  Anesthesiologist Assistant.

(a) The West Virginia Board of Medicine, with the advice of the West Virginia Society of Anesthesiologist shall propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of 29A-3-1 et seq. of this code to:

(1) Develop the minimum education and training requirements for an anesthesiologist assistant; and

(2) Regulate anesthesiologist assistants.

(b) An anesthesiologist assistant, consistent with the anesthesiologist’s assistant’s education training and licensure, and under the supervision of a physician who is actively and directly engaged in the clinical practice of medicine as an anesthesiologist, may do the following:

(1) Undertake any of the duties or functions of the written practice protocol adopted by the supervising anesthesiologist: Provided, That any action under this subdivision by an anesthesiologist assistant be done in the immediate presence of the supervising anesthesiologist;

(2) Obtain informed consent for anesthesia care and perform preanesthetic preparation and evaluation, postanesthetic preparation and evaluation, post anesthesia care and any other function authorized under the written practice protocol required by subdivision (b)(1) of this section;

(3) Direct the nurse or therapist to administer treatments drugs, and intravenous fluids to treat conditions related to the administration of anesthesia if the nurse or therapist is authorized by law to administer treatments, drugs, and intravenous fluids and the supervising anesthesiologist ordered the treatments. drugs. or intravenous fluids.

(4) Performing and documenting evaluations and assessments, which may include ordering and evaluating one or more diagnostic tests for conditions related to the administration of anesthesia; and

(5) Perform any other preanesthetic preparation and evaluation, postanesthetic preparation and evaluation, or post anesthesia care consistent with the written protocols established pursuant to subdivision(b)(1) of this section.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to recognize anesthesiologist assistants who will practice under the supervision and presence of anesthesiologists pursuant to written practice protocols.  A defined scope of practice is set forth for anesthesiologist assistants. The Board of Medicine Is required to promulgate rules for the purpose of setting minimum educational and training standards and regulating the practice of anesthesiologist assistants.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.