HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 2416
As Reported by House Committee On:
Health Care & Wellness
Title: An act relating to changing the legal title for advanced practice nurses.
Brief Description: Changing the legal title for advanced practice nurses.
Sponsors: Representatives Graham and Riccelli; by request of Washington State Board of Nursing.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Health Care & Wellness: 1/24/24, 1/26/24 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Changes the title for advanced registered nurse practitioners to advanced practice registered nurses.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE & WELLNESS
Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by 16 members:Representatives Riccelli, Chair; Bateman, Vice Chair; Schmick, Ranking Minority Member; Hutchins, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bronoske, Caldier, Davis, Graham, Harris, Macri, Maycumber, Mosbrucker, Orwall, Stonier, Thai and Tharinger.
Staff:

Benjamin Ratcliff (786-7291) and Jim Morishima (786-7191). 
Background:

An advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) assumes primary responsibility and accountability for the care of patients and is authorized to perform all activities registered nurses perform, perform specialized and advanced levels of nursing, and prescribe legend drugs and certain controlled substances.  An ARNP's scope of practice is defined by the Washington State Board of Nursing and includes:

  • examining and diagnosing patients;
  • admitting, managing, and discharging patients to and from health care facilities;
  • ordering, collecting, performing, and interpreting diagnostic tests;
  • managing health care by identifying, developing, implementing, and evaluating a plan of care and treatment for patients;
  • prescribing therapies and medical equipment;
  • prescribing medications when granted prescriptive authority; and
  • referring patients to other health care practitioners, services, or facilities.
Summary of Bill:

The title for "advanced registered nurse practitioner" is changed to "advanced practice registered nurse."
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect on June 30, 2027.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) Washington is currently one of only nine states not using the title of "advanced practice registered nurses."  This bill adopts the national language standard and aligns Washington with the best practice and title usage of the Nurse Licensure Compact.  Presently, only one other state uses the term "advanced registered nurse practitioners," so this bill will provide uniformity that assists the public in knowing who is taking care of them, as well as allow mobility for health practitioners.  This bill would also mitigate recent concerns regarding federal licensing which has created challenges for states creating similar licensing regimes.  This change was adopted as model legislation in 2008 so the change is long overdue, particularly because 40 percent of licensees have out-of-state addresses.

 

(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying:

Representative Jenny Graham, prime sponsor; Alison Bradywood, Washington State Board of Nursing; and Louise Kaplan, ARNPs United of Washington State.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.