Press Room

Senator Morse Keeps Criminals Out of Surgical Tech Jobs, Protects Patients

Thursday, May 6 2010

DENVER—A Senate committee passed two bills by Senate Majority Leader John Morse (D-Colorado Springs) and Senator Joyce Foster (D-Denver) which will protect hospital patients.

The bills were brought in response to the recent case of a surgical technician who exposed over 6,000 patients to hepatitis C by stealing syringes of painkillers to use herself and then returning them for use in patient care.  HB 1414 and 1415 will help ensure hospitals and surgery centers do not inadvertently hire surgical technicians with a criminal background or with a history of jeopardizing patient safety.

“Individuals with criminal records, particularly for drug use, should not be allowed to have access to these powerful drugs,” said Sen. Morse. “When people are being treated in the hospital, they are at their most vulnerable, and it is our responsibility to ensure that patients are not put at risk of being infected with dangerous diseases by criminal hospital employees. This bill puts into place strong protections to ensure hospitals know who they are hiring.”

House Bills 1414 and 1415 passed out of the Senate Health and Human Services committee, and will now be heard by the full Senate.

Recently, the first individual lawsuit filed by a hepatitis C-infected patient of Rose Medical Center appeared in Denver District Court. Tests have linked at least 18 infected patients with the particular strand of hepatitis C carried by the infected surgical tech, who was sentenced in February to 30 years in prison.

The legislation requires surgical technicians to be registered with the state before working with patients.  Employers must verify that a prospective employee’s registration is in good standing before he/she can start working in an operating room. Additionally, if an employee is fired or disciplined, the employer must report this information to the state within two weeks.

HB 1415 is sponsored by Sen. Morse and Representative Sara Gagliardi’s (D-Arvada)
HB 1414 is sponsored by Sen. Foster and Representative Debbie Benefield (D-Arvada/Westminster)