(a) Except during training under immediate supervision, no person shall provide services as a hemodialysis technician without meeting one or more of the following requirements:
(1) Certification by the department as having been certified by the Board of Nephrology Examination for Nurses and Technicians (BONENT).
(2) Certification by the department as having completed a department-approved training and testing program in a hemodialysis clinic or unit.
(3) Certification by the department as being a graduates of a local training and testing program operated by an accredited college or accredited university approved by the department, or a graduate of a private training program approved by the department. As used in this article, accredited has the same meaning as defined by Section 94711 of the Education Code.
(4) Certification by the department as hemodialysis technicians on or before the effective date of regulations adopted pursuant to Section 1247.4.
(b) This article does not apply to home dialysis patients, or patient helpers not employed by the licensed facility, who have undergone a home dialysis training program operated by a licensed clinic or hospital as defined in Sections 1204 and 1250 of the Health and Safety Code and have been certified by the medical director of the facility as being competent to perform home dialysis treatment.
(c) A hemodialysis technician training program and competency test, that is approved by the department before January 1, 198, shall not be required to be reapproved pursuant to this section or Section 1247.5 unless the department determines reapproval to be necessary to protect patient safety.
(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 122, Sec. 2.)