RCW 18.79.202
License fee surcharge--Use of
proceeds--Nursing resource center account--Report to the
legislature--Review--Rules. (Effective until June 30, 2013.)
(1) In addition to the licensing fee for registered nurses and
licensed practical nurses licensed under this chapter, the
department shall impose an additional surcharge of five dollars
per year on all initial licenses and renewal licenses for
registered nurses and licensed practical nurses issued under this
chapter. Advanced registered nurse practitioners are only
required to pay the surcharge on their registered nurse licenses.
(2) The department, in consultation with the commission and
the workforce training and education coordinating board, shall
use the proceeds from the surcharge imposed under subsection (1)
of this section to provide grants to a central nursing resource
center. The grants may be awarded only to a not-for-profit
central nursing resource center that is comprised of and led by
nurses. The central nursing resource center will demonstrate
coordination with relevant nursing constituents including
professional nursing organizations, groups representing nursing
educators, staff nurses, nurse managers or executives, and labor
organizations representing nurses. The central nursing resource
center shall have as its mission to contribute to the health and
wellness of Washington state residents by ensuring that there is
an adequate nursing workforce to meet the current and future
health care needs of the citizens of the state of Washington.
The grants may be used to fund the following activities of the
central nursing resource center:
(a) Maintain information on the current and projected supply
and demand of nurses through the collection and analysis of data
regarding the nursing workforce, including but not limited to
education level, race and ethnicity, employment settings, nursing
positions, reasons for leaving the nursing profession, and those
leaving Washington state to practice elsewhere. This data
collection and analysis must complement other state activities to
produce data on the nursing workforce and the central nursing
resource center shall work collaboratively with other entities in
the data collection to ensure coordination and avoid duplication
of efforts;
(b) Monitor and validate trends in the applicant pool for
programs in nursing. The central nursing resource center must
work with nursing leaders to identify approaches to address
issues arising related to the trends identified, and collect
information on other states' approaches to addressing these
issues;
(c) Facilitate partnerships between the nursing community
and other health care providers, licensing authority, business
and industry, consumers, legislators, and educators to achieve
policy consensus, promote diversity within the profession, and
enhance nursing career mobility and nursing leadership
development;
(d) Evaluate the effectiveness of nursing education and
articulation among programs to increase access to nursing
education and enhance career mobility, especially for populations
that are underrepresented in the nursing profession;
(e) Provide consultation, technical assistance, data, and
information related to Washington state and national nursing
resources;
(f) Promote strategies to enhance patient safety and quality
patient care including encouraging a safe and healthy workplace
environment for nurses; and
(g) Educate the public including students in K-12 about
opportunities and careers in nursing.
(3) The nursing resource center account is created in the
custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from the surcharge
in subsection (1) of this section must be deposited in the
account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for
grants to an organization to conduct the specific activities
listed in subsection (2) of this section and to compensate the
department for the reasonable costs associated with the
collection and distribution of the surcharge and the
administration of the grant provided for in subsection (2) of
this section. No money from this account may be used by the
recipient towards administrative costs of the central nursing
resource center not associated with the specific activities
listed in subsection (2) of this section. No money from this
account may be used by the recipient toward lobbying. Only the
secretary or the secretary's designee may authorize expenditures
from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures
under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for
expenditures. Grants will be awarded on an annual basis and
funds will be distributed quarterly. The first distribution
after awarding the first grant shall be made no later than six
months after July 24, 2005. The central nursing resource center
shall report to the department on meeting the grant objectives
annually.
(4) The central nursing resource center shall submit a
report of all progress, collaboration with other organizations
and government entities, and activities conducted by the center
to the relevant committees of the legislature by November 30,
2011. The department shall conduct a review of the program to
collect funds to support the activities of a nursing resource
center and make recommendations on the effectiveness of the
program and whether it should continue. The review shall be paid
for with funds from the nursing resource center account. The
review must be completed by June 30, 2012.
(5) The department may adopt rules as necessary to implement
chapter 268, Laws of 2005.
[2005 c 268 § 4.]
NOTES:
Finding -- 2005 c 268: "Washington state is experiencing a critical shortage of registered nurses. To safeguard and promote patient safety and quality of care, the legislature finds that a central resource center for the nursing workforce is critical and essential in addressing the nursing shortage and ensuring that the public continue to receive safe, quality care." [2005 c 268 § 1.]