PERMANENT RULES
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: New WAC 246-843-270 and 246-843-280 are adopted to respond to Governor's Executive Order 06-03. They establish clear definitions for sexual misconduct by nursing home administrators. It is expected that these rules will help nursing home administrators avoid sexual misconduct and educate consumers about what they should expect from nursing home administrators.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.130.050 (1) and (12) and 18.52.061(1).
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 06-22-101 on November 1, 2006.
A final cost-benefit analysis is available by contacting Kendra Pitzler, P.O. Box 47864, Olympia, WA 98504-7864, phone (360) 236-4723, fax (360) 236-4738, e-mail kendra.pitzler@doh.wa.gov.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 2, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 2, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: December 8, 2006.
Kendra Pitzler
Program Manager
OTS-9204.2
STANDARDS OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
NEW SECTION
WAC 246-843-270
Definitions for sexual misconduct.
(1)
"Health care information" means any information, whether oral
or recorded in any form or medium that identifies or can
readily be associated with the identity of, and relates to the
health care of, a patient or client.
(2) "Key party" means immediate family members and others who would be reasonably expected to play a significant role in the health care decisions of the patient or client and includes, but is not limited to, the spouse, domestic partner, sibling, parent, child, guardian and person authorized to make health care decisions of the patient or client.
(3) "Legitimate health care purpose" means activities for examination, diagnosis, treatment, and personal care of patients or clients, including palliative care, as consistent with community standards of practice for the profession. The activity must be within the scope of practice of the nursing home administrator.
(4) "Nursing home administrator" means an individual applying for a credential or credentialed as a nursing home administrator under chapter 18.52 RCW.
(5) "Patient" or "client" means an individual who receives health care in a nursing home under the administrative charge of the nursing home administrator.
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(a) Sexual intercourse;
(b) Touching the breasts, genitals, anus or any sexualized body part except as consistent with accepted community standards of practice for examination, diagnosis and treatment and within the nursing home administrator's scope of practice;
(c) Rubbing against a patient or client or key party for sexual gratification;
(d) Kissing of a romantic or sexual nature;
(e) Hugging, touching, fondling or caressing of a romantic or sexual nature;
(f) Examination of or touching genitals without using gloves;
(g) Not allowing a patient or client privacy to dress or undress except as may be necessary in emergencies or custodial situations;
(h) Not providing the patient or client a gown or draping except as may be necessary in emergencies;
(i) Dressing or undressing in the presence of the patient, client or key party;
(j) Removing patient or client's clothing or gown or draping without consent, emergent medical necessity or being in a custodial setting;
(k) Encouraging masturbation or other sex act in the presence of the nursing home administrator;
(l) Masturbation or other sex act by the nursing home administrator in the presence of the patient, client or key party;
(m) Terminating a professional relationship for the purpose of dating or pursuing a romantic or sexual relationship;
(n) Soliciting a date with a patient, client or key party;
(o) Discussing the sexual history, preferences or fantasies of the nursing home administrator;
(p) Any behavior, gestures, or expressions that may reasonably be interpreted as seductive or sexual;
(q) Making statements regarding the patient, client or key party's body, appearance, sexual history, or sexual orientation other than for legitimate health care purposes;
(r) Sexually demeaning behavior including any verbal or physical contact which may reasonably be interpreted as demeaning, humiliating, embarrassing, threatening or harming a patient, client or key party;
(s) Photographing or filming the body or any body part or pose of a patient, client, or key party, other than for legitimate health care purposes; and
(t) Showing a patient, client or key party sexually explicit photographs, other than for legitimate health care purposes.
(2) A nursing home administrator shall not:
(a) Offer to provide health care services in exchange for sexual favors;
(b) Use health care information to contact the patient, client or key party for the purpose of engaging in sexual misconduct;
(c) Use health care information or access to health care information to meet or attempt to meet the nursing home administrator's sexual needs.
(3) A nursing home administrator shall not engage, or attempt to engage, in the activities listed in subsection (1) of this section with a former patient, client or key party within two years after the provider-patient/client relationship ends.
(4) After the two-year period of time described in subsection (3) of this section, a nursing home administrator shall not engage, or attempt to engage, in the activities listed in subsection (1) of this section if:
(a) There is a significant likelihood that the patient, client or key party will seek or require additional services from the nursing home administrator; or
(b) There is an imbalance of power, influence, opportunity and/or special knowledge of the professional relationship.
(5) When evaluating whether a nursing home administrator is prohibited from engaging, or attempting to engage, in sexual misconduct, the board of examiners for nursing home administrators will consider factors, including but not limited to:
(a) Documentation of a formal termination and the circumstances of termination of the nursing home administrator-patient relationship;
(b) Transfer of care to another nursing home administrator;
(c) Duration of the nursing home administrator-patient relationship;
(d) Amount of time that has passed since the last health care services to the patient or client;
(e) Communication between the nursing home administrator and the patient or client between the last health care services rendered and commencement of the personal relationship;
(f) Extent to which the patient's or client's personal or private information was shared with the nursing home administrator;
(g) Nature of the patient or client's health condition during and since the professional relationship;
(h) The patient or client's emotional dependence and vulnerability; and
(i) Normal revisit cycle for the profession and service.
(6) Patient, client or key party initiation or consent does not excuse or negate the health care provider's responsibility.
(7) These rules do not prohibit:
(a) Providing health care services in case of emergency where the services cannot or will not be provided by another nursing home administrator;
(b) Contact that is necessary for a legitimate health care purpose and that meets the standard of care appropriate to nursing home administrators; or
(c) Providing health care services for a legitimate health care purpose to a person who is in a preexisting, established personal relationship with the nursing home administrator where there is no evidence of, or potential for, exploiting the patient or client.
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