SSB 3005 — Licensing of genetic counselors;
SSB 3070 — Limited Nursing Authorization (Board of Nursing);
SSB 3071 — Prescription Monitoring Program (Board of Pharmacy).
COMMITTEE ACTION:
SSB 3005 establishes licensing for genetic counselors under the Board of Medicine, including scope of practice, requirements for licensure, continuing education and discipline. Genetic counselors are health care professionals who help people with genetic conditions or health concerns. They work in a variety of settings, such as hospital clinics, diagnostic and research laboratories, advocacy organizations, government and industry. There is no fiscal impact.
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SSB 3070 gives the Board of Nursing authority to issue a limited nursing authorization to complete a clinical nurse refresher course. This is for nurses who have not held a valid license within the last five years. Limited authorization allows the nurse to be in a clinical environment for training required for licensing. Currently, 18 other states allow this. This provision is not expected to be widely used because most nurses don’t let their licenses expire.
[2/6: short form]
SSB 3071 authorizes the Board of Pharmacy to provide proactive notification to prescribing practitioners and pharmacists when certain thresholds are met that might indicate a patient is doctor shopping, pharmacy shopping or at risk for abuse. The prescribing practitioners who furnishes, dispenses or supplies controlled substances must report prescriptions (including samples) to the Prescription Monitoring Program. The bill also eliminates the Prescription Monitoring Program Advisory Council and makes it a committee; expands reporting to include all schedules of controlled substances except those sold without a prescription; and authorizes the Board of Pharmacy to add a surcharge on Controlled Substance Act registrations to pay for the Prescription Monitoring Program.
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