Section 1200-06-01-.24 - QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES OF THE CYTOTECHNOLOGIST(1) Qualifications - Each person examining cytology slide preparations must possess a current special analyst license as a cytotechnologist issued by the Board. To be eligible for that license the applicant must provide proof of national certification by a certifying agency approved by the Board. All applicants for that license who were awarded national certification on or after August 1, 1988 must also submit proof that the certification was awarded based upon the applicant's possession of a baccalaureate degree earned at a regionally accredited college/university and cytology training from a school accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or other accrediting body acceptable to the Board. Applicants whose national certification was awarded prior to August 1, 1988 need only submit proof that national certification was awarded regardless of the prerequisites upon which it was based.(2) Responsibilities and duties of the cytotechnologist include: (a) Processing, performing, reviewing, and correlating diagnostic techniques ancillary to liquid based cytology.(b) Assisting in the collection and preparation of cytologic specimens for analysis.(c) Accepting or rejecting the cytologic specimen based upon established criteria.(d) Storing or transporting specimens using appropriate preservation methods.(e) Selecting the most appropriate preparation and staining techniques and preparing specimens for microscopic analysis.(f) Operating, calibrating, conducting performance checks and maintaining any laboratory instrument or equipment.(g) Recognizing and correcting basic instrument malfunctions and notifying cytology supervisor when appropriate.(h) Preparing stains and reagents from a prescribed procedure, making any adjustments needed.(i) Evaluating stains and reagents according to established criteria.(j) Conducting established quality control procedures on equipment, stains, reagents; evaluating results of quality control and implementing corrective action when indicated.(k) Determining performance specifications for new preparation techniques.(l) Establishing basic quality control procedures.(m) Performing comparison studies on new or existing procedures and reporting results in an established format.(n) Utilizing the microscope properly for visualization of the specimen, applying knowledge of microscope care and maintenance.(o) Determining specimen adequacy after microscopic examination.(p) Screening, detecting, selecting, and marking areas most representative of any pathological process present.(q) Making an interpretation based upon the microscopic appearance of the cytologic specimen.(r) Establishing and monitoring quality assurance/continuous quality improvement programs.(s) Establishing and monitoring safety programs in compliance with laboratory regulations.(t) Utilizing laboratory information systems or other methods to accurately and effectively report patient results.(u) Writing laboratory procedures conforming to a standardized format.(v) Performing orientation and supervision for students and new or less skilled laboratory personnel.(w) Reporting test results conforming to established procedures.(x) Documenting the slide interpretation results of each gynecologic and nongynecologic cytology case examined or reviewed.(y) For each twenty-four (24) hour period, documenting the total number of slides examined or reviewed in the laboratory as well as the total number of slides examined or reviewed in any other laboratory or for any other employer, and(z) Documenting the number of hours spent examining slides in each twenty-four (24) hour period.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-06-01-.24
Original rule filed May 3, 1995; effective July 17, 1995. Amendment filed September 9, 1996; effective November 23, 1996. Amendment filed August 25, 2003; effective November 8, 2003. Amendment filed July 8, 2004; effective September 21, 2004. Amendments filed January 13, 2022; effective 4/13/2022.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 4-5-204, 68-29-103, 68-29-105, and 68-29-118.