WAC 246-840-910   Purpose.  This rule defines a consistent standard of nursing care with the delegation of nursing tasks to nursing assistants. The registered nurse delegator makes independent professional decisions of the delegation of a nursing task. A licensed registered nurse may delegate specific nursing care tasks to nursing assistants meeting certain requirements and providing care to individuals in a community-based care setting defined by RCW 18.79.260 (3)(e)(i) and to individuals in an in-home care setting defined by RCW 18.79.260 (3)(e)(ii). Before delegating a task, the registered nurse delegator determines that specific criteria are met and the patient is in a stable and predictable condition. Registered nurses delegating tasks are accountable to the Washington state nursing care quality assurance commission. The registered nurse delegator and nursing assistant are accountable for their own individual actions in the delegation process. No person may coerce a registered nurse into compromising patient safety by requiring the registered nurse to delegate. Registered nurse delegators shall not delegate the following care tasks:

     (1) Administration of medications by injection (by intramuscular, intradermal, subcutaneous, intraosseous, intravenous, or otherwise) with the exception of insulin injections.

     (2) Sterile procedures.

     (3) Central line maintenance.

     (4) Acts that require nursing judgment.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.79.110, 18.79.260, 18.88A060 [18.88A.060], and 18.88A.210. 09-06-006, § 246-840-910, filed 2/18/09, effective 3/21/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.79.110, 18.79.260 (3)(f), 18.88A.210, 2003 c 140. 04-14-065, § 246-840-910, filed 7/2/04, effective 7/2/04. Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.79 and 18.88A RCW. 02-02-047, § 246-840-910, filed 12/27/01, effective 1/27/02. Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.79 RCW. 96-05-060, § 246-840-910, filed 2/19/96, effective 3/21/96.]