Tennessee Code Title 68. Health, Safety and Environmental Protection § 68-11-239

(1) “Central service department” means a department within a healthcare facility that processes, issues, and controls medical supplies, devices and equipment, both sterile and nonsterile, for patient care areas of a healthcare institution;

(2) “Central service technician” means a person who decontaminates, inspects, assembles, packages, and sterilizes reusable medical instruments or devices in a healthcare institution, whether such person is employed by the healthcare institution or provides services pursuant to a contract with the healthcare institution;

(3) “Healthcare institution” means an ambulatory surgical treatment center or a hospital, as those facilities are defined in § 68-11-201; and

(4) “Healthcare provider” means a person that provides healthcare services and is registered, certified, or licensed in accordance with title 63 and is under the division of health-related boards.

(2) Obtains a certified registered central service technician credential or a certified sterile processing and distribution technician credential no later than two (2) years after the person's date of hire or contracting for services with a healthcare institution.

(1) A healthcare provider operating within the scope of practice for that provider established pursuant to title 63;

(2) A surgical technologist operating within the scope of practice established by § 68-57-105;

(3) A diagnostic medical sonographer while performing the duties of a sonographer;

(4) A student or intern performing the functions of a central service technician under the direct supervision of a person authorized under subdivision (d)(1) or (d)(2) as part of the student's or intern's training or internship; or

(5) A person who does not work in a central service department in a healthcare institution, but who has been specially trained and determined competent, based on standards set by a healthcare institution's infection prevention or control committee, acting in consultation with a central service technician certified in accordance with subsection (b), to decontaminate or sterilize reusable medical equipment, instruments, or devices, in a manner that meets applicable manufacturer's instructions and standards.

(f)(1) For any person practicing as a central service technician at a healthcare institution pursuant to subdivision (b)(1)(A), the healthcare institution shall maintain documentation that the person meets all requirements of subdivision (b)(1)(A).

(2) For any person practicing as a central service technician at a healthcare institution pursuant to subdivision (b)(1)(B), the healthcare institution shall maintain documentation of the dates for which the person was employed or otherwise contracted for services as a central services technician in the healthcare institution to verify that the person meets all requirements of subdivision (b)(1)(B).