AGING AND DISABILITY SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
May 30, 2003
ADSA: BH #2003-011
MEDICATION ASSISTANCE - PRE-FILLED INSULIN SYRINGES
Dear Boarding 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 has 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 boarding homes.
However, the bill does apply to boarding 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.”
This requirement is consistent with the direction provided to boarding homes by Residential Cares Services in the past. 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 local Field Manager.
Sincerely,
Patricia K. Lashway, Director
Residential Care Services
