PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 246-826 WAC, amending the chapter to expand the scope of practice for health care assistants.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: Chapter 18.135 RCW as amended by chapter 43, Laws of 2009 (SHB 1414).
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: SHB 1414 broadens the health care assistant's scope of practice to include administering certain over-the-counter and prescribed medications by oral, topical, rectal, otic, ophthalmic, or inhaled routes pursuant to a written order of a supervising health care practitioner. These rules need to be amended to reflect the change in the scope of practice and to include the legislative expiration date of July 1, 2013.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: Collaborative rule making.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Erin Obenland, Program Manager, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone (360) 236-4945, fax (360) 236-2406, e-mail erin.obenland@doh.wa.gov. Interested persons can participate in the rule process through meetings and by submitting written comments. Interested parties are encouraged to join our ListServ which can be accessed at http://listserv.wa.gov/cgi-bin/wa?A0=HEALTH-CARE-ASSISTANTS.
July 22, 2009
Mary C. Selecky
Secretary