WSR 97-17-015

PERMANENT RULES

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

[Filed August 8, 1997, 3:15 p.m.]

Date of Adoption: June 13, 1997.

Purpose: We will be combining existing RN/LPN language from chapters 246-838 and 246-839 WAC to WAC 246-840-030. To establish a method for a clinical component in nontraditional nursing education programs, so graduates of these programs may test for registered nurse licensure in Washington state. Repeal of WAC 246-839-030 because of combining RN/LPN language.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 246-839-030.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.79.160.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 97-08-093 on April 2, 1997.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, amended 0, repealed 1.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 1, amended 0, repealed 1.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 1, amended 0, repealed 1.

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

July 19, 1997

Patty Hayes

Executive Director

REPEALER

The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:

WAC 246-839-030 Qualification/eligibility to take the licensing examination.

NEW SECTION

WAC 246-840-030 Examination and licensure. (1) Graduates from Washington state board approved schools of nursing holding a degree/diploma from such a school shall be eligible to write the examination provided all other requirements are met.

(2) Graduates from a nursing school approved by a board of nursing in another U.S. jurisdiction shall be eligible to take the examination provided that:

(a) The nursing school meets the minimum standards approved for state board school of nursing in Washington at the time of the applicant's graduation;

(b) Graduate has completed all institutional requirements for the degree/diploma in nursing education per attestation from the administrator of the approved nursing education program;

(c) All other requirements of the statute and regulations shall be met.

(3) Graduates of a nontraditional school of nursing which meet the requirements of subsection (2)(a), (b) and (c) of this section, are eligible to take the registered nurse examination provided that the following conditions are met: (For purposes of this section, nontraditional schools of nursing are defined as schools that have curricula which do not include a faculty supervised teaching/learning component in clinical settings.)

(a) The candidate is a licensed practical nurse in Washington state; and

(b) There is documentation of at least two hundred hours of supervised clinical experience (preceptorship) in the role of a registered nurse. The required elements of a preceptorship are as follows:

(i) Acceptable clinical sites - Acceptable clinical sites include acute care or subacute care settings or skilled nursing facilities. Other sites must be approved by the commission.

(ii) Qualifications of preceptor (instructor) - The preceptor must be a licensed registered nurse in Washington state with at least two years experience in a practice setting and have no history of disciplinary actions. The candidate must provide documentation that the preceptor meets these requirements when he/she applies for licensure and must also provide a written agreement between the candidate and the preceptor (or facility) that preceptorship supervision will occur.

(iii) Experiences in the preceptorship - Experiences must include delegation and supervision, decision making and critical thinking, patient assessment as part of the nursing process and evaluation of care. A checklist, provided by the commission, must be completed by the preceptor which indicates the candidate's satisfactory completion of the identified skills. This checklist must be submitted with the candidate's application for licensure; and

(c) The candidate receives a satisfactory evaluation from their preceptor meeting commission requirements as previously identified ((b)(iii) of this subsection); and

(d) All other requirements of the nursing statute and regulations are met.