SENATE BILL REPORT
HB 1259
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
As Reported by Senate Committee On:
Health Care, March 24, 2015
Title: An act relating to signatures of advanced registered nurse practitioners on required documentation.
Brief Description: Allowing advanced registered nurse practitioners to sign and attest to certain documentation.
Sponsors: Representatives Cody, Schmick, Clibborn, Harris, Jinkins, Robinson and Buys.
Brief History: Passed House: 2/09/15, 96-0.
Committee Activity: Health Care: 3/12/15, 3/24/15 [DP].
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE |
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Becker, Chair; Dammeier, Vice Chair; Frockt, Ranking Minority Member; Angel, Bailey, Brown, Cleveland, Conway, Jayapal, Keiser, Parlette and Rivers.
Staff: Kathleen Buchli (786-7488)
Background: An advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) is a registered nurse who practices independently and assumes primary responsibility for continuous and comprehensive management of a broad range of patient care, concerns, and problems. An applicant for licensure as an ARNP must hold a registered nurse license, have graduated from an accredited advanced nursing education program, and hold a certification from a program approved by the Nursing Quality Assurance Commission.
Physician assistants are licensed to practice medicine to a limited extent under the supervision of a physician, and only under a delegation agreement approved by the Medical Quality Assurance Commission. Similarly, osteopathic physician assistants are licensed to practice osteopathic medicine to a limited extent and only under a delegation agreement approved by the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery.
A physician assistant or osteopathic physician assistant may sign and attest to any certificates, cards, forms, or other required documentation that the supervising physician or osteopathic physician may sign, so long as it is within the physician assistant's or osteopathic physician assistant's scope of practice and is consistent with the terms of the delegation agreement.
Summary of Bill: An ARNP may sign and attest to any certificates, cards, forms, or other required documentation that a physician may sign, so long as it is within the ARNP's scope of practice.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: This applies to practices that are within the scope of practice for ARNPs. Many ARNPs practice independently and provide care in rural and underserved areas of the state. This would allow ARNPs to sign forms that are within their scope of practice to sign. This would apply to physical examinations provided for schools and sport activities; the ARNP can provide the examination but the form says that they must be signed by a physician.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Representative Cody, prime sponsor; Louise Kaplan, ARNPs United of WA State.
Persons Signed in to Testify But Not Testifying: No one.