The Department of Health (DOH) filed a Preproposal (CR-101) for WAC 246-840-990, Fees and Renewal Cycle on November 10, 2021 as WSR #21-23-053.

DOH in consultation with the Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission (NCQAC) is considering fee changes for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners, and nursing technicians.

RCW 43.70.250 requires that the costs of licensing each profession be fully borne by members of that profession. Rulemaking is needed to ensure fees cover the costs of licensing the professions. A fee change may be necessary to cover the cost of a database solution to replace an outdated licensing system, for staffing to continue nurse license processing within legislated timelines and staffing to address increased workload associated with nursing assistants and the long-term care crisis.

Interested parties’ meetings will be:

• Thursday, December 2, 2021 at 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 1:30 p.m.
• Friday, December 10, 2021 at 10 am.

Please mark your calendars for one of the meetings. More information will be sent via GovDelivery in the next two weeks.

NCQAC will continue to notify interested parties of rulemaking by posting information on the DOH NCQAC website and GovDelivery. Interested parties may sign up to receive commission rulemaking notices.

For more information please contact:

Shad Bell
Assistant Director of Operations
Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission
Department of Health
NCQAC.Rules@doh.wa.gov

Or

Heather Cantrell, MPA
Policy Analyst
Health Systems Quality Assurance
Department of Health
HSQAfeerules@doh.wa.gov

Questions?

Contact:

Laura Hofmann, MSN, RN – Director of Clinical and Nursing Facility Regulatory Services
c: 425-231-4804