WAC 246-330-210. Surgical services

The purpose of this section is to guide the development and management of surgical services. An ambulatory surgical facility must: (1) Adopt and implement policies and procedures that: (a) Identify areas where surgery and invasive procedures may be performed; (b) Define staff access to areas where surgery and invasive procedures are performed; (c) Identify practitioner and advanced registered nurse practitioner's privileges for operating room staff; and (d) Define staff qualifications and oversight. (2) Use facility policies and procedures which define standards of care; (3) Implement a system to identify and indicate the correct surgical site prior to beginning a surgical procedure; (4) Provide emergency equipment, supplies, and services to surgical and invasive areas; (5) Provide separate refrigerated storage equipment with temperature alarms, when blood is stored in the surgical department; and (6) Assure a registered nurse qualified by training and experience functions as the circulating nurse in every operating room whenever deep sedation or general anesthesia are used during surgical procedures.