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Washington Administrative Code (Last Updated: November 23, 2016) |
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Title 246. Health, Department of |
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Chapter 246-840. Practical and registered nursing. |
Section 246-840-220. Continuing competency requirements—Active status.
Latest version.
- (1) At the end of the three-year continuing competency cycle, a nurse must attest on a form provided by the department of health declaring completion of the required active nursing practice hours and continuing nursing education hours.(2) The nurse must complete, within each three-year review period:(a) A minimum of five hundred thirty-one hours of active nursing practice; and(b) A minimum of forty-five hours of continuing nursing education.(3) A nurse will have a full three years to meet the requirements in subsections (1) and (2) of this section. The hours may be accumulated at any time throughout the three-year review period. The review period begins on the licensee's first birthday after receiving the initial license.(4) Nurses must complete a qualified suicide prevention training as follows:(a) Beginning January 1, 2016, registered nurses, except for registered nurses holding an active certified registered nurse anesthetist license, and licensed practical nurses must complete a one-time training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management from a qualified suicide prevention training program. The training must be completed by the end of the first full continuing competency reporting period after or during the first full continuing competency reporting period after initial licensure, whichever is later.(b) Beginning July 1, 2017, a qualified suicide training program must be on the model list, required under RCW 43.70.442, to be accepted.(c) A qualified suicide prevention training program must be an empirically supported training including assessment treatment and management, and must be at least six hours in length which may be provided in one or more sessions.(d) The hours spent completing a qualified training program in suicide assessment, treatment, and management under this section counts toward continuing competency requirements in subsection (2)(b) of this section.(5) Nurses who are enrolled in, or have completed prerequisite classes for, an advanced nursing education program are exempt from the continuing competency requirements during their current review period. A final transcript or transcript of classes documenting current progress towards an advanced degree will be required by the commission for approval of the exemption.