Acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioners employing point injection therapy shall use only those substances and techniques for which they have received training.

(1) The education and training for point injection therapy must:

(a) Consist of a minimum total of 24 hours in the topics required in this section:

(i) Sixteen hours must be in-person; eight hours of which must be hands-on clinical practical experience; and

(ii) The remaining eight hours may be obtained through live interactive webinar or in-person.

(b) Be administered by an instructor that meets the requirements of subsection (3) of this section.

(2) A curriculum for a point injection therapy training program must include all of the following:

(a) Review of physical examination, contraindications and universal precautions, and differential diagnosis;

(b) Compounding and administration of the substances authorized for point injection therapy under WAC 246-803-030, including aseptic technique, recordkeeping and storage of substances authorized for use in point injection therapy;

(c) Use of local anesthetics, such as lidocaine and procaine, for reduction of pain during point injection therapy, consistent with the practice of acupuncture and Eastern medicine;

(d) Emergency procedures to include the use of oxygen and epinephrine for potential emergency purposes, such as an allergic or adverse reaction, for patient care and safety; and

(e) Point injection therapy techniques and contraindication within the acupuncture or Eastern medicine scope of practice relative to the authorized substances listed in WAC 246-803-030 (13)(a)(i) through (vi).

(3) An instructor for point injection therapy must have:

(a) A health care credential in good standing with a scope of practice that includes point injection therapy; and

(b) At least five years of experience in a health care practice that includes point injection therapy.

(4) In addition to the requirements of subsections (1) and (2) of this section, an acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioners using point injection therapy must complete a minimum of two hours of training specifically in the use of intramuscular epinephrine, local anesthetics and oxygen.

(a) The training may be taken separately from the training in point injection therapy.

(b) The minimum of two hours of training count towards meeting the requirement for 24 hours of training as required in subsection (1)(a) of this section.

(c) An acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner who holds an active credential with a scope of practice that includes the authority to prescribe, dispense or administer epinephrine, local anesthetics, or oxygen does not need to meet the requirements of (a) of this subsection.

(5) To qualify under this section, the training program shall provide each successful student with a:

(a) Certificate of successful completion of the program; and

(b) Course syllabus outlining the schedule and curriculum of the program.

(6) The requirements of subsections (1) through (5) of this section do not apply to an acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner who has provided point injection therapy prior to June 9, 2016. An acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioners using point injection therapy prior to June 9, 2016, must have completed training and education in point injection therapy.

(7) Prior to administering local anesthetic, epinephrine, or oxygen in providing point injection therapy services, an acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner must satisfy the education and training requirements under this section.

(8) Any acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner performing point injection therapy must be able to demonstrate, upon request of the department, successful completion of education and training in point injection therapy.

PDFWAC 246-803-040

Education and training for point injection therapy.