BILL REQ. #: S-4610.1
| State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2004 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/06/04.
AN ACT Relating to eliminating credentialing barriers for health professions; amending RCW 18.06.050, 18.29.190, 18.29.180, 18.34.070, 18.79.160, 18.83.050, 18.83.070, 18.83.072, 18.83.082, and 18.83.170; adding a new section to chapter 18.79 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that the health care
work force shortage is contributing to the health care crisis. The
legislature also finds that some unnecessary barriers exist that slow
or prevent qualified applicants from becoming credentialed health care
providers. The legislature further finds that eliminating these
initial barriers to licensure will contribute to state initiatives
directed toward easing the health care personnel shortage in
Washington.
Sec. 2 RCW 18.06.050 and 1991 c 3 s 7 are each amended to read as
follows:
Any person seeking to be examined shall present to the secretary at
least forty-five days before the commencement of the examination:
(1) A written application on a form or forms provided by the
secretary setting forth under affidavit such information as the
secretary may require; and
(2) Proof that the candidate has:
(a) Successfully completed a course, approved by the secretary, of
didactic training in basic sciences and acupuncture over a minimum
period of two academic years. The training shall include such subjects
as anatomy, physiology, ((bacteriology,)) microbiology, biochemistry,
pathology, hygiene, and a survey of western clinical sciences. The
basic science classes must be equivalent to those offered at the
collegiate level. However, if the applicant is a licensed chiropractor
under chapter 18.25 RCW or a naturopath licensed under chapter 18.36A
RCW, the requirements of this subsection relating to basic sciences may
be reduced by up to one year depending upon the extent of the
candidate's qualifications as determined under rules adopted by the
secretary;
(b) Successfully completed ((a course, approved by the secretary,))
five hundred hours of clinical training in acupuncture ((over a minimum
period of one academic year. The training shall include a minimum of:
(i) Twenty-nine quarter credits of supervised practice, consisting of
at least four hundred separate patient treatments involving a minimum
of one hundred different patients, and (ii) one hundred hours or nine
quarter credits of observation which shall include case presentation
and discussion)) that is approved by the secretary.
Sec. 3 RCW 18.29.190 and 1993 c 323 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The department shall issue ((a)) an initial temporary license
without the examination required by this chapter to any applicant who,
as determined by the secretary:
(a) Holds a valid license in another state that allows the scope of
practice in subsection (3) (a) through (j) of this section;
(b) Is currently engaged in active practice in another state. For
the purposes of this section, "active practice" means five hundred
sixty hours of practice in the preceding twenty-four months;
(c) Files with the secretary documentation certifying that the
applicant:
(i) Has graduated from an accredited dental hygiene school approved
by the secretary;
(ii) Has successfully completed the dental hygiene national board
examination; and
(iii) Is licensed to practice in another state;
(d) Provides information as the secretary deems necessary
pertaining to the conditions and criteria of the uniform disciplinary
act, chapter 18.130 RCW;
(e) Demonstrates to the secretary a knowledge of Washington state
law pertaining to the practice of dental hygiene, including the
administration of legend drugs;
(f) Pays any required fees; and
(g) Meets requirements for AIDS education.
(2) The term of the initial temporary license issued under this
section is eighteen months and it is ((nonrenewable)) renewable upon
demonstration of successful passage of the examination for
administering local anesthetic and nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia.
(3) A person practicing with a temporary license granted under this
section has the authority to perform hygiene procedures that are
limited to:
(a) Oral inspection and measuring of periodontal pockets;
(b) Patient education in oral hygiene;
(c) Taking intra-oral and extra-oral radiographs;
(d) Applying topical preventive or prophylactic agents;
(e) Polishing and smoothing restorations;
(f) Oral prophylaxis and removal of deposits and stains from the
surface of the teeth;
(g) Recording health histories;
(h) Taking and recording blood pressure and vital signs;
(i) Performing subgingival and supragingival scaling; and
(j) Performing root planing.
(4)(a) A person practicing with ((a)) an initial temporary license
granted under this section may not perform the following dental hygiene
procedures unless authorized in (b) or (c) of this subsection:
(i) Give injections of local anesthetic;
(ii) Place restorations into the cavity prepared by a licensed
dentist and afterwards carve, contour, and adjust contacts and
occlusion of the restoration;
(iii) Soft tissue curettage; or
(iv) Administer nitrous oxide/
(b) A person licensed in another state who can demonstrate
substantively equivalent licensing standards in the administration of
local anesthetic may receive a temporary endorsement to administer
local anesthesia.
(c) A person licensed in another state who can demonstrate
substantively equivalent licensing standards in restorative procedures
may receive a temporary endorsement for restorative procedures.
(5) A person practicing with a renewed temporary license granted
under this section may not place restorations into a cavity prepared by
a licensed dentist and afterwards carve, contour, and adjust contacts
and occlusion of the restoration unless authorized in subsection (4)(b)
or (c) of this section.
Sec. 4 RCW 18.29.180 and 1991 c 3 s 57 are each amended to read
as follows:
The following practices, acts, and operations are excepted from the
operation of this chapter:
(1) The practice of dental hygiene in the discharge of official
duties by dental hygienists in the United States armed services, coast
guard, public health services, veterans' bureau, or bureau of Indian
affairs;
(2) Dental hygiene programs approved by the secretary and the
practice of dental hygiene by students in dental hygiene programs
approved by the secretary, when acting under the direction and
supervision of persons licensed under chapter 18.29 or 18.32 RCW acting
as instructors;
(3) The practice of dental hygiene by students in accredited dental
hygiene educational programs when acting under the direction and
supervision of instructors licensed under chapter 18.29 or 18.32 RCW.
Sec. 5 RCW 18.34.070 and 1991 c 3 s 76 are each amended to read
as follows:
Any applicant for a license shall be examined if he or she pays an
examination fee determined by the secretary as provided in RCW
43.70.250 and certifies under oath that he or she:
(1) Is eighteen years or more of age; and
(2) Has graduated from an accredited high school; and
(3) ((Is a citizen of the United States or has declared his or her
intention of becoming such citizen in accordance with law; and)) Is of good moral character; and
(4)
(((5))) (4) Has either:
(a) Had at least three years of apprenticeship training; or
(b) Successfully completed a prescribed course in opticianry in a
college or university approved by the secretary; or
(c) Been principally engaged in practicing as a dispensing optician
not in the state of Washington for five years.
Sec. 6 RCW 18.79.160 and 1994 sp.s. c 9 s 416 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) An applicant for a license to practice as a registered nurse
shall submit to the commission:
(a) An attested written application on a department form;
(b) ((Written)) An official ((evidence of a diploma from))
transcript demonstrating graduation and successful completion of an
approved ((school)) program of nursing; and
(c) Any other official records specified by the commission.
(2) An applicant for a license to practice as an advanced
registered nurse practitioner shall submit to the commission:
(a) An attested written application on a department form;
(b) ((Written)) An official ((evidence of)) transcript
demonstrating graduation and successful completion of an advanced
registered nurse practitioner ((training)) program meeting criteria
established by the commission; and
(c) Any other official records specified by the commission.
(3) An applicant for a license to practice as a licensed practical
nurse shall submit to the commission:
(a) An attested written application on a department form;
(b) Written official evidence that the applicant is over the age of
eighteen;
(c) ((Written official evidence of a high school diploma or general
education development certificate or diploma;)) An official ((
(d) Writtenevidence of completion of)) transcript
demonstrating graduation and successful completion of an approved
practical nursing program, or its equivalent; and
(((e))) (d) Any other official records specified by the commission.
(4) At the time of submission of the application, the applicant for
a license to practice as a registered nurse, advanced registered nurse
practitioner, or licensed practical nurse must not be in violation of
chapter 18.130 RCW or this chapter.
(5) The commission shall establish by rule the criteria for
evaluating the education of all applicants.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 A new section is added to chapter 18.79 RCW
to read as follows:
A licensed practical nurse with an active license who has completed
the coursework of a nontraditional registered nurse program approved by
the commission can obtain the required clinical experience when: (1)
The experience is obtained under the immediate supervision of a
registered nurse who agrees to act as the preceptor with the
understanding that the licensed practical nurse is practicing under the
preceptor's registered nurse license. The preceptor must have an
unrestricted license with at least two years of clinical practice in
the same type of practice setting where the preceptorship will occur;
and (2) the experience is obtained within six months of completion of
the approved nontraditional program.
Sec. 8 RCW 18.83.050 and 1994 c 35 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The board shall adopt such rules as it deems necessary to carry
out its functions.
(2) The board shall examine the qualifications of applicants for
licensing under this chapter, to determine which applicants are
eligible for licensing under this chapter and shall forward to the
secretary the names of applicants so eligible.
(3) The board shall administer examinations to qualified applicants
on at least an annual basis. The board shall determine the subject
matter and scope of the examination((s and shall require both written
and oral examinations of each applicant)), except as provided in RCW
18.83.170. The board may allow applicants to take the ((written))
examination upon the granting of their doctoral degree before
completion of their internship for supervised experience.
(4) The board shall keep a complete record of its own proceedings,
of the questions given in examinations, of the names and qualifications
of all applicants, and the names and addresses of all licensed
psychologists. The examination paper of such applicant shall be kept
on file for a period of at least one year after examination.
(5) The board shall, by rule, adopt a code of ethics for
psychologists which is designed to protect the public interest.
(6) The board may require that persons licensed under this chapter
as psychologists obtain and maintain professional liability insurance
in amounts determined by the board to be practicable and reasonably
available.
Sec. 9 RCW 18.83.070 and 1995 c 198 s 11 are each amended to read
as follows:
An applicant for a license as "psychologist" must submit proof to
the board that:
(1) The applicant is of good moral character.
(2) The applicant holds a doctoral degree from a regionally
accredited institution, obtained from an integrated program of graduate
study in psychology as defined by rules of the board.
(3) The applicant has had no fewer than two years of supervised
experience((, at least one of which shall have been obtained subsequent
to the granting of the doctoral degree)). The board shall adopt rules
defining the circumstances under which supervised experience shall
qualify the candidate for licensure.
(4) The applicant has passed the ((written or oral)) examination or
examinations((, or both, as prescribed)) required by the board.
Any person holding a valid license to practice psychology in the
state of Washington on June 7, 1984, shall be considered licensed under
this chapter.
Sec. 10 RCW 18.83.072 and 1996 c 191 s 65 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Examination of applicants shall be held in Olympia, Washington,
or at such other place as designated by the secretary, at least
annually at such times as the board may determine.
(2) ((Any applicant shall have the right to discuss with the board
his or her performance on the examination.)) Any applicant who fails to make a passing grade on the
examination may be allowed to retake the examination. Any applicant
who fails the examination a second time must obtain special permission
from the board to take the examination again.
(3)
(((4))) (3) The board may approve an examination prepared or
administered by a private testing agency or association of licensing
authorities.
Sec. 11 RCW 18.83.082 and 1996 c 191 s 67 are each amended to
read as follows:
A person, not licensed in this state, who wishes to perform
practices under the provisions of this chapter for a period not to
exceed ninety days within a calendar year, must petition the board for
a temporary permit to perform such practices. If the person is
licensed or certified in another state deemed by the board to have
standards equivalent to this chapter, or if the person is a member of
a professional organization and holds a certificate deemed by the board
to meet standards equivalent to this chapter, a permit may be issued.
No fee shall be charged for such temporary permit.
Sec. 12 RCW 18.83.170 and 1996 c 191 s 70 are each amended to
read as follows:
Upon compliance with administrative procedures, administrative
requirements, and fees determined under RCW 43.70.250 and 43.70.280,
the board may grant a license, without ((written)) oral examination, to
any applicant who has not previously failed any examination held by the
board of psychology of the state of Washington and furnishes evidence
satisfactory to the board that the applicant:
(1) Holds a doctoral degree with primary emphasis on psychology
from an accredited college or university; and
(2)(a) Is licensed or certified to practice psychology in another
state or country in which the requirements for such licensing or
certification are, in the judgment of the board, essentially equivalent
to those required by this chapter and the rules and regulations of the
board. Such individuals must have been licensed or certified in
another state for a period of at least two years; or
(((3))) (b) Is a diplomate in good standing of the American Board
of Examiners in Professional Psychology; or
(c) Is a member of a professional organization and holds a
certificate deemed by the board to meet standards equivalent to this
chapter.