Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-840-095 Temporary practice permits. The nursing care quality assurance commission (commission) is considering amending the length of time a temporary practice permit is effective and updating criteria to issue a temporary practice permit.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Nurse applicants with an out-of-state address, including registered nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners, and licensed practical nurses, are required under RCW 18.130.064 to complete an FBI criminal background check prior to licensure. In 2009, the commission and the department of health (department) began processing FBI fingerprint background checks. The process took several months. To remedy this delay in licensure, the commission's current practice is to issue a temporary practice permit after the applicant meets all other licensure requirements aside from receipt of the FBI fingerprint background check, allowing the nurse to begin working in Washington state. Under WAC 246-840-095, the temporary practice permit is valid for 180 days or until the commission issues a permanent Washington state license to the nurse. WAC 246-840-095 also allows for an additional 180-day extension of the temporary practice permit if the department has not received the fingerprint results during the initial 180-day period. The commission intends to engage in rule making to decrease the length of time a temporary practice permit is effective and align the rules with the current commission practice to issue a temporary practice permit.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Shad Bell, P.O. Box 47864, Olympia, WA 98504-7864, phone 1-360-236-4711, TTY 711, email NCQAC.Rules@doh.wa.gov, website www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/NursingCommission.

Additional comments: The commission will notify interested parties of rule making by posting information on the department website, the commission website, and by use of GovDelivery. The commission will hold virtual meetings at varying times to encourage participation.