22 TAC § 184.2. Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(1) Act--Title 3, Subtitle C, Texas Occupations Code Annotated Chapter 206.

(2) Address of record--The mailing address of each licensee or applicant as provided to the agency pursuant to the Act.

(3) Advisory committee--An informal advisory committee to the board whose purpose is to advise the board regarding rules relating to the licensure, enforcement, and discipline of surgical assistants.

(4) APA--Administrative Procedure Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 2001 as amended.

(5) Applicant--A person seeking a surgical assistant license from the board.

(6) Board--The Texas Medical Board.

(7) Delegating physician--A physician licensed by the board who delegates, to a licensed surgical assistant, surgical assisting and oversees and accepts responsibility for that surgical assisting.

(8) Direct supervision--Supervision by a delegating physician who is physically present and personally directs delegated acts, and remains immediately available in the operating room to respond to any emergency until the patient is released from the operating room or care and has been transferred to another physician.

(9) Submit--The term used to indicate that a completed item has been actually received and date-stamped by the board along with all required documentation and fees, if any.

(10) Surgical assistant--A person licensed as a surgical assistant by the Texas Medical Board.

(11) Surgical or first assisting--Providing aid under direct supervision in exposure, hemostasis, and other intraoperative technical functions that assist a physician in performing a safe operation with optimal results for the patient, including the delegated authority to provide local infiltration or the topical application of a local anesthetic at the operation site.

(12) Military service member--A person who is on active duty.

(13) Military spouse--A person who is married to a military service member.

(14) Military veteran--A person who served on active duty and who was discharged or released from active duty.

(15) Active duty--A person who is currently serving as full-time military service member in the armed forces of the United States or active duty military service as a member of the Texas military forces, as defined by Section 437.001, Government Code, or similar military service of another state.

(16) Armed forces of the United States--Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps of the United States or a reserve unit of one of those branches of the armed forces.