WSR 97-17-049

PERMANENT RULES

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

[Filed August 15, 1997, 8:05 a.m.]

Date of Adoption: July 19, 1997.

Purpose: To extend the period of time an individual may function as a nurse technician to 90 days rather than 30 days and to provide for housekeeping changes to WAC 246-840-860 Nursing technician criteria.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 246-839-860.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.79.160.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 97-12-030 on May 30, 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Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, amended 0, repealed 1.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 1, amended 0, repealed 1.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 1, amended 0, repealed 1.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

August 4, 1997

Patty Hayes

Executive Director

REPEALER

The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:

WAC 246-839-860 Nursing technician criteria.

NEW SECTION

WAC 246-840-860 Nursing technician criteria. To be eligible for employment as a nursing technician a student must meet the following criteria:

(1) Satisfactory completion of at least one academic term (quarter or semester) of a nursing program approved by a commission or board of nursing (ADN, diploma, or BSN). The term must have included a clinical component.

(2) Currently enrolled in a nursing commission approved program will be considered to include:

(a) All periods of regularly planned educational programs and all school scheduled vacations and holidays.

(b) The period of time of notification to the commission of completion of nursing education, following graduation and application for examination, not to exceed ninety days from the date of graduation.

(c) Current enrollment will not be construed to include:

(i) Leaves of absence or withdrawal, temporary or permanent, from the nursing educational program.

(ii) Students enrolled in nursing department classes who are solely enrolled in academic nonnursing supporting course work, whether or not those courses are required for the nursing degree.

(iii) Students who are awaiting the opportunity to reenroll in nursing courses.