AGING AND DISABILITY SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
May 30, 2003
ADSA: AFH #2003-007
MEDICATION ASSISTANCE – PRE-FILLED INSULIN SYRINGES
Dear Adult Family Home Provider:
The legislature recently passed House Bill 1753 – An act relating to nursing practices in community-based and in-home care; amending RCW 18.79.040, 18.79.260, 18.88A.140, 18.88A.200, 18.88A.210, 18.88A.230, 70.127.010, 70.127.040, 70.127.120, 70.127.170, 69.41.010, and 69.41.085; and declaring an emergency. The Governor signed the bill, which was effective May 7, 2003.
Most of the bill applies to in-home care settings which is defined as “an individual’s place of temporary or permanent residence, but does not include acute care or skilled nursing facilities, and does not include community based care settings” such as adult family homes.
However, the bill does apply to adult family homes in the following way: Section 11 of the bill spells out revisions to the language in RCW 69.41.010 related to the definition of medication assistance and pre-filled insulin syringes. It includes the following: “…Medication assistance shall not include assistance with intravenous medications or injectable medications except pre-filled insulin syringes.”
Please remember that the bill does not change any requirements in the adult family home. WAC 388-76-64030 (6) states that “…self-administration with assistance does not include direct assistance with intravenous and injectable medications, however, delivering a pre-filled syringe to the resident is allowed providing that the resident independently self administers the injection…“ per WAC 246-888-020. Therefore the home will continue to be in compliance if an assisting nonpractioner delivers a pre-filled insulin syringe to a resident who is able to self-administer the injection.
A copy of the bill has been enclosed for your convenience. The bill can also
be accessed at the following website,
http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2003-04/House/1750-1774/1753_pl.pdf.
If you have any questions about the statutory changes related to the delivery of pre-filled insulin syringes, please contact your RCS Field Manager.
Sincerely,
Patricia K. Lashway, Director
Residential Care Services
