FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 1726

C 270 L 19

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning services provided by health care professional students.

Sponsors: Representatives Riccelli, Schmick, Robinson, Walsh, Thai, Stonier, Macri and Pollet.

House Committee on Health Care & Wellness

Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care

Background:

Scopes of Practice.

Pharmacists are licensed by the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission. The practice of pharmacy includes: interpreting prescriptions; compounding, dispensing, labeling, administering, distributing, and storing drugs and devices; monitoring drug therapy; initiating or modifying drug therapy in accordance with written guidelines; participating in drug utilization reviews and product selection; and providing information on legend drugs.

Physicians are licensed by the Medical Quality Assurance Commission (Medical Commission). The practice of medicine is defined as: offering or undertaking to diagnose, cure, advise, or prescribe for any human disease, ailment, injury, infirmity, deformity, pain or other condition, physical or mental, real or imaginary, by any means or instrumentality; administering or prescribing drugs or medicinal preparations; and severing or penetrating the tissues of human beings.

Osteopathic physicians are licensed by the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery (Osteopathic Board). The practice of osteopathic medicine and surgery is defined as using any method in the treatment of disease, injuries, deformities, and other physical and mental conditions of human beings.

Registered nurses and advanced registered nurse practitioners are licensed by the Nursing Quality Assurance Commission (Nursing Commission). The practice of advanced registered nursing means performing the acts of a registered nurse and performing an expanded role in providing health care services, as defined by the Nursing Commission, including prescribing legend drugs and controlled substances contained in Schedules II through V.

The practice of registered nursing is defined as performing acts requiring substantial specialized knowledge, judgment, and skill based on the principles of the biological, physiological, behavioral, and sociological sciences in, among other things: observing, assessing, diagnosing, caring or counseling, and health teaching of individuals with illnesses, injuries, or disabilities, or in the maintenance of health or prevention of illness; administering, supervising, delegating, and evaluating nursing practice; and executing a prescribed medical regimen. An unlicensed person may provide nursing care to the sick if he or she is uncompensated and does not hold himself or herself out to be a registered nurse.

Practice of Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy by Students.

Students enrolled in a school of medicine that is approved and accredited by the Medical Commission may practice medicine pursuant to their coursework or under the supervision and control of a licensed physician. Students enrolled in a school of osteopathic medicine and surgery that is accredited and approved by the Osteopathic Board may practice pursuant to their coursework and under the supervision of a licensed osteopathic physician. Nursing students enrolled in approved schools may practice registered nursing or advanced registered nursing so long as it is incidental to their course of study. Pharmacy students must apply for registration as a pharmacy intern to obtain pharmacy internship experience.

Summary:

A pharmacy student registered as a pharmacy intern may practice pharmacy, a nursing student may practice registered nursing or advanced registered nursing, an allopathic medical student may practice medicine, and an osteopathic medical student may practice osteopathic medicine if:

• the student is enrolled in an education program approved by the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Pharmacy Commission), the Nursing Quality Assurance Commission, the Medical Quality Assurance Commission, or the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery respectively;

• the student performs the services without compensation or expectation of compensation as part of a volunteer activity;

• the student:

  • is a pharmacy student or nursing student, is under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist, licensed allopathic or osteopathic physician, registered nurse, or advanced registered nurse practitioner; or

  • is a allopathic or osteopathic medical student, is under the direct supervision and control of a licensed pharmacist, licensed allopathic or osteopathic physician, registered nurse, or advanced registered nurse practitioner;

• the services are within the scope of practice of both the person supervising the student and the profession for which the student is receiving training;

• the student's school verifies in writing that he or she has demonstrated competency through his or her education and training to perform the tasks defined in the written agreement; and

• the student provides proof of current malpractice insurance to the volunteer activity organizer prior to providing any services.

The Pharmacy Commission may adopt rules to implement these requirements.

Votes on Final Passage: