Subject of Possible Rule Making: Registered nurse (RN) and licensed practical nurse (LPN) licensing and continuing competency rules. The Washington state board of nursing (board) is considering amendments to WAC 246-840-015 through 246-840-260 to clarify and update outdated language, rewrite and reformat existing rules to reflect current best practices, and restructure sections as necessary, as part of the board's five-year formal rule review process in accordance with RCW 43.70.041. The board is conducting this review in a phased approach. This rule making is phase 1 of the board's formal review process. The board will consider additional topics to reduce barriers and simplify regulations for multistate licensure applicants, reduce barriers for applicants educated outside the United States, and explore limiting NCLEX attempts before remediation. The board also plans to address impacts from upcoming proposals from bills passed in the 2025 legislative session during this phase.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: RCW 43.70.041 requires the board to have a formal review process of its existing rules to simplify, improve, and streamline rules pertaining to nursing at least once every five years. As part of this review process, the board is considering amendments to RN and LPN licensing and continuing competency rules.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Jessilyn Dagum, P.O. Box 47864, Olympia, WA 98504-7864, phone 360-236-3538, fax 360-236-4738, TTY 711, email WABONRules@doh.wa.gov, website www.nursing.wa.gov.

Additional comments: The board will notify interested parties of rule making by posting information on the department of health website, the board website, and by use of GovDelivery. Interested parties may sign up to receive board rule-making notices at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/subscriber/new. The board will hold virtual meetings at varying times to encourage participation