FINAL BILL REPORT

SB 6293

                                   C 37 L 88

BYSenators Deccio, Kreidler, Newhouse, Vognild, Johnson, Wojahn, Smith, Niemi, Nelson, Halsan, Kiskaddon, Fleming, Sellar, Rinehart, Stratton, Garrett and von Reichbauer

Revising provisions for activities of registered nurses.

Senate Committee on Health Care & Corrections

House Committe on Health Care

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

The nurse practice act does not provide specific authority for registered nurses to pronounce death.  In practice, pronouncing death involves an assessment of a person's vital signs such as the presence of a pulse, reflex and optical assessment and measuring blood pressure.  If vital signs indicate death, a notation is made on the patient's chart and the body is removed for disposition.

The certification of death is separate from the pronouncement of death as provided for in the act.  The certificate of death involves the documentation of facts concerning the death, such as the cause, who last attended the decedent and other pertinent medical data.

SUMMARY:

The nurse practice act is amended to clarify that registered nurses shall not be prohibited from determining and pronouncing death.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Senate    49     0

      House 98   0

EFFECTIVE:June 9, 1988