WSR 15-08-070

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed March 31, 2015, 8:13 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 246-843 WAC, Nursing home administrators, opening the chapter to consider updating the examination, training, licensure, and continuing education requirements for nursing home administrators (NHA), and amending sexual misconduct rules for NHAs. Other sections may be updated as necessary.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 18.52.061, 18.52.071, 18.130.040, 18.130.050, 18.130.062, and Executive Order 06-03.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Licensure rules for training, examination, continuing education, and reactivation have not been updated since early 2000. The board is considering revising the rules in order to clarify, streamline, and modernize the standards. The board is also considering revising the sexual misconduct rules to clarify what forcible nonconsensual acts are within the definition of sexual misconduct by a nursing home administrator.

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. Interested parties, may receive notice of rule development workshops and other rule-making activities by contacting Kendra Pitzler, Program Manager, Department of Health, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone (360) 236-4723, fax (360) 236-2901, e-mail kendrapitzler@doh.wa.gov. All notices will be sent to the board of nursing home listserv. Interested parties can join the listserv at http://listserv.wa.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=NHA-BOARD&A=1.

March 31, 2015

Harry Aubert, Chair

Board of Nursing

Home Administrators