Nursing and Nursing Assistant Students as Essential Workers - Governor Inslee issued a new proclamation (Proclamation 20-25) regarding essential and non-essential businesses and activities. The Governor’s Office confirmed that nursing students and nursing assistant students are considered essential within Proclamation 20-25. This means that information included in Proclamation 20-12 regarding skills labs, simulation labs, and clinical experiences in facilities remains in effect, including strict implementation and monitoring of social distancing measures by designated school officials and following clinical protocols aligned with public health guidance.
Online Training-to-NAR Work Pathway - While Proclamation 20-12 allows for skills lab and clinical, the NCQAC encourages nursing assistant programs to pursue instead the pathway of providing live online training only for classroom/theory content, allowing interested students to work as nursing assistants-registered (NARs) in nursing homes under the supervision of an LPN or RN early in their training program as they work toward completion. The NAR application is found here. The NAR application fee information is found here.
The 7-hour HIV/AIDS Education Requirement - is waived for nursing assistant training programs in Proclamation 20-32. This further streamlines students’ ability to apply to work as NARs in a nursing home under the supervision of an LPN or RN after 16 hours of federally-required training while they complete the remaining classroom/theory hours online.
NAR Work Hours Count as Required Clinical Hours - Per Washington Administrative Code (WAC) waivers included in Proclamation 20-32, the NCQAC can now allow programs to count students’ NAR work hours as their clinical hours when documentation of hours and competency evaluation by the supervising LPN or RN is provided. A checklist to capture this documentation is in development.
120-Day Rule for Nursing Assistant Training - The first step for lifting the 120-day requirement has been achieved with receipt of a federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) waiver received by Governor Inslee yesterday. The next step is receipt of a state waiver. The waiver request is in progress and must be received before this requirement can be lifted during the COVID-19 crisis.
NCLEX Test Centers - One test center in Renton and one test center in Spokane opened on March 25. The centers will be open for eight hours per day, five days a week. The NCLEX examination usually allows up to five hours per candidate. The examination time has been reduced to four hours per candidate. The legal defensibility of the four hour examination has been confirmed. Candidates who were cancelled last week are being contacted and rescheduled. If candidates requested a refund for their cancelled examination, the refund was issued. These candidates will need to pay for the examination. If the candidates did not request a refund, their original payment is being applied and they will not be charged for a cancellation by Pearson/VUE.
Social distancing of six feet between candidates will be maintained. Cleansing of the testing area will occur at the end of the first four hour period prior to allowing any new candidates in the area. A second group of candidates will then be allowed in the test center. The test centers will only be open for eight hours a day, five days a week at this time. As this is a trial, and with success, there may be more centers opening.
We may need more technical assistants to staff the test centers. This is an excellent opportunity for retired nurses. If you, or you know of someone who may be interested, please send me an email at paula.meyer@doh.wa.gov. A current nursing license is not required.
Emergency Interim Permits – When a nursing student has graduated from a nursing program and before they take the national exam (for LPNs, RNs and ARNPs), they can apply for licensure following the online process.
Online Application: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/6000/669419.pdf
After the college/university sends the certificate of completion confirming completion of the program, the licensing unit has received the official transcripts, and the applicant has registered for the national examination, licensing staff can issue an emergency interim permit allowing the applicant to work as a nurse during the declared emergency. When testing is available again, nurse applicants are required to take the national exam to complete the process for permanent licensing.
New staffing for Nursing Commission licensing unit – Governor Inslee wants a 24 hour turnaround on nursing license applications. Additional staffing and funding are approved to begin as early as April 1.
Temporary Practice Permits – At this time, the Nursing Commission recommends applying for nurse licensure through the online license application process.
Online Application: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/6000/669419.pdf
Please submit a complete packet of required information to ensure no unnecessary delay. If you are endorsing your license from another state, please complete licensure verification online at www.nursys.com. We encourage the submission of electronic transcripts; please have your college/university return the transcript to WABONlicensing@doh.wa.gov. A temporary practice permit is valid for 180 days, or until the Nursing Commission issues a permanent license. If the emergency extends beyond 180 days, the commission may grant extensions.
Mandatory training on suicide prevention/assessment/treatment, HIV/AIDs training, Continuing Competency requirements for renewals and reactivations – Governor Inslee issued Proclamation 20-32 to address the need for additional healthcare providers in the workforce. The Proclamation encompasses many health professions, including nurses and nursing assistants, and intends to remove some of the barriers to rapid entry and re-entry. For applicants and those reactivating out of inactive or expired status, the requirements for suicide training and HIV/AIDS education are waived during the emergency proclamation. For current ARNPs, and ARNPs reactivating out of inactive or expired status, the requirement to provide evidence of current national certification by a commission-approved certifying body is waived during the emergency. For all nurses reactivating from inactive or expired status, the continuing competency and continuing education requirements are waived. The Commission is also commencing emergency rule-making to address current continuing competency and continuing education requirements for nurses with active licenses.
Mental Health resources – Many nurses, nurse educators, nursing students and all healthcare providers are experiencing stress and anxiety related to the COVID 19 crisis. The CDC offers resources for care for you and your loved ones at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html
Many employers offer employee assistance programs. Please take advantage of these resources that are so valuable in this time of need. Each and every one of you are caring for so many - - and we care about you.