SB535: Bill Text

SB535,6,16 448.05 (6) (a) Except as provided in par. pars. (am) and (ar), the board shall examine each applicant it finds eligible under this section in such subject matters as the board deems applicable to the class of license or certificate which the applicant seeks to have granted. Examinations may be both written and oral. In lieu of its own examinations, in whole or in part, the board may make such use as it deems appropriate of examinations prepared, administered, and scored by national examining agencies, or by other licensing jurisdictions of the United States or Canada. The board shall specify passing grades for any and all examinations required.

SB535, s. 16 Section 16. 448.05 (6) (ar) of the statutes is created to read:

SB535,6,25 448.05 (6) (ar) When examining an applicant for a license to practice as an anesthesiologist assistant under par. (a), the board shall use the certification examination administered by the National Commission on Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants or a successor entity. The board may license without additional examination any qualified applicant who is licensed in any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia and whose license authorizes the applicant to practice in the same manner and to the same extent as an anesthesiologist assistant is authorized to practice under s. 448.22 (2).

SB535, s. 17 Section 17. 448.13 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

SB535,7,6 448.13 (3) Each person licensed as an anesthesiologist assistant shall, in each 2nd year at the time of application for a certificate of registration under s. 448.07, submit proof of meeting the criteria for recertification by the National Commission on Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants or by a successor entity, including any continuing education requirements.

SB535, s. 18 Section 18. 448.22 of the statutes is created to read:

SB535,7,11 448.22 Anesthesiologist assistants. (1) In this section, "supervision" means the use of the powers of direction and decision to coordinate, direct, and inspect the accomplishments of another, and to oversee the implementation of the anesthesiologist's intentions.

SB535,7,18 (2) An anesthesiologist assistant may assist an anesthesiologist in the delivery of medical care only under the supervision of an anesthesiologist and only as described in a supervision agreement between the anesthesiologist assistant and an anesthesiologist who represents the anesthesiologist assistant's employer. The supervising anesthesiologist shall be immediately available in the same physical location or facility in which the anesthesiologist assistant assists in the delivery of medical care such that the supervising anesthesiologist is able to intervene if needed.

SB535,7,19 (3) A supervision agreement under sub. (2) shall do all of the following:

SB535,7,20 (a) Describe the supervising anesthesiologist.

SB535,7,22 (b) Define the practice of the anesthesiologist assistant consistent with subs. (2), (4) and (5).

SB535,8,2 (4) An anesthesiologist assistant's practice may not exceed his or her education and training, the scope of practice of the supervising anesthesiologist, and the practice outlined in the anesthesiologist assistant supervision agreement. A medical care task assigned by the supervising anesthesiologist to the anesthesiologist assistant may not be delegated by the anesthesiologist assistant to another person.

SB535,8,5 (5) An anesthesiologist assistant may assist only the supervising anesthesiologist in the delivery of medical care and may perform only the following medical care tasks as assigned by the supervising anesthesiologist:

SB535,8,6 (a) Developing and implementing an anesthesia care plan for a patient.

SB535,8,8 (b) Obtaining a comprehensive patient history and performing relevant elements of a physical exam.

SB535,8,10 (c) Pretesting and calibrating anesthesia delivery systems and obtaining and interpreting information from the systems and from monitors.

SB535,8,11 (d) Implementing medically accepted monitoring techniques.

SB535,8,13 (e) Establishing basic and advanced airway interventions, including intubation of the trachea and performing ventilatory support.

SB535,8,15 (f) Administering intermittent vasoactive drugs and starting and adjusting vasoactive infusions.

SB535,8,16 (g) Administering anesthetic drugs, adjuvant drugs, and accessory drugs.

SB535,8,17 (h) Implementing spinal, epidural, and regional anesthetic procedures.

SB535,8,18 (i) Administering blood, blood products, and supportive fluids.

SB535,8,20 (j) Assisting a cardiopulmonary resuscitation team in response to a life threatening situation.

SB535,8,22 (k) Participating in administrative, research, and clinical teaching activities specified in the supervision agreement.

SB535,8,23 (L) Supervising student anesthesiologist assistants.

SB535,9,4 (6) An anesthesiologist who represents an anesthesiologist assistant's employer shall review a supervision agreement with the anesthesiologist assistant at least annually. The supervision agreement shall be available for inspection at the location where the anesthesiologist assistant practices. The supervision agreement may limit the practice of an anesthesiologist assistant to less than the full scope of practice authorized under sub. (5).

SB535,9,10 (7) An anesthesiologist assistant shall be employed by a health care provider, as defined in s. 655.001 (8), that is operated in this state for the primary purpose of providing the medical services of physicians or that is an entity described in s. 655.002 (1) (g), (h), or (i). If an anesthesiologist assistant's employer is not an anesthesiologist, the employer shall provide for, and not interfere with, an anesthesiologist's supervision of the anesthesiologist assistant.

SB535,9,23 (8) A student in an anesthesiologist assistant training program may assist only an anesthesiologist in the delivery of medical care and may perform only medical care tasks assigned by the anesthesiologist. An anesthesiologist may delegate the supervision of a student in an anesthesiologist assistant training program to a qualified anesthesia provider. For purposes of this subsection, a "qualified anesthesia provider" is an anesthesiologist, an anesthesiology fellow, an anesthesiology resident who has completed his or her first year of anesthesiology residency, a certified registered nurse anesthetist or an anesthesiologist assistant. This section shall not be interpreted to limit the number of other qualified anesthesia providers an anesthesiologist may supervise. A student in an anesthesiologist assistant training program shall be identified as a student anesthesiologist assistant or an anesthesiologist assistant student and may not be identified as an "intern," "resident," or "fellow."

SB535, s. 19 Section 19. 448.23 of the statutes is created to read:

SB535,10,4 448.23 Council on anesthesiologist assistants. The council on anesthesiologist assistants shall guide, advise, and make recommendations to the board regarding the scope of anesthesiologist assistant practice and the promotion of the role of anesthesiologist assistants in the delivery of health care services.

SB535, s. 20 Section 20. Nonstatutory provisions.

SB535,10,11 (1) Notwithstanding section 15.407 (9) (b) of the statutes, as created by this act, the initial member of the council on anesthesiologist assistants appointed under section 15.407 (9) (b) of the statutes, as created by this act, is not required to be a licensed anesthesiologist assistant under section 448.04 (1) (g) of the statutes, as created by this act, but shall be an individual who meets the criteria specified under section 448.05 (5w) of the statutes, as created by this act.

SB535,10,15 (2) Notwithstanding section 15.407 (9) of the statutes, as created by this act, one of the initial members of the council on anesthesiologist assistants appointed under section 15.407 (9) (c) of the statutes, as created by this act, shall be appointed for a 2-year term.

SB535,10,22 (3) The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin shall direct the School of Medicine and Public Health to study the feasibility of establishing a School of Anesthesiologist Assistants in the University of Wisconsin System. The School of Medicine and Public Health shall submit a report containing the School of Medicine and Public Health's findings to the Board of Regents and to the council on anesthesiologist assistants under section 15.407 (9) of the statutes, as created by this act, not later than one year after the effective date of this subsection.

SB535,10,23 (End)