Except as otherwise provided in this section and NRS 449.0301 and 449.24195:

1. A health care facility may not employ or otherwise allow a person to engage in the practice of surgical technology at the health care facility unless the person has:

(a) Successfully completed a program for surgical technologists that is accredited by a national accrediting organization and is certified as a Certified Surgical Technologist by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting or a successor organization;

(b) Successfully completed a training program for surgical technologists administered by the United States Public Health Service, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard; or

(c) Engaged in the practice of surgical technology in a health care facility before January 1, 2018.

2. A health care facility may employ or otherwise allow a person who has successfully completed a program for surgical technologists that is accredited by a national accrediting organization but who is not certified as a Certified Surgical Technologist pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1 to engage in the practice of surgical technology at the health care facility for 180 days after the date on which the person successfully completed the program.

3. A health care facility may employ a person who does not possess the qualifications prescribed by subsection 1 to engage in the practice of surgical technology at the health care facility if, after conducting a thorough and diligent search, the health care facility is unable to employ a sufficient number of surgical technologists who possess such qualifications. A health care facility may continue to employ such a person after the health care facility determines it is able to employ a sufficient number of surgical technologists who possess such qualifications.

(Added to NRS by 2017, 330)