SB 5688 — Concerning athletic trainers.

S-1817.1SUBSTITUTES-0979.1SENATE SENATE BILL 5688State of Washington66th Legislature2019 Regular SessionBySenateSessionBySenators Health & Long Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Cleveland, Walsh, and Becker)READBeckerAN FIRST TIME 02/22/19.AN ACT Relating to athletic trainers;

RCW 18.250.010 and 2016 c 41 s 22 are each amended to read as follows:The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Athlete" means a person who participates in exercise, recreation, activities, sport, or games requiring physical strength, range-of-motion, flexibility, body awareness and control, speed, stamina, or agility, and the exercise, recreation, activities, sports, or games are of a type conducted for the benefits of health and wellness or in association with an educational institution or professional, amateur, or recreational sports club or organization.(2) "Athletic injury" means an injury or condition sustained by an athlete that affects the person's participation or performance in exercise, recreation, activities, sport, or games and the injury or condition is within the professional preparation and education of an athletic trainer.(3) "Athletic trainer" means a person who is licensed as a health care professionalprovider under this chapter.

An athletic trainer can practice athletic training through the consultation, referral, or guidelines of a licensed health care provider as defined under subsectionRCW (7)18.250.010 of this section working within their scope of practice.(4)(a) "Athletic training" means the application of the following principles and methods as provided by a licensed athletic trainer:(i) Risk management and prevention of athletic injuries through preactivity screening and evaluation, educational programs, physical conditioning and reconditioning programs, application of commercial products, use of protective equipment, promotion of healthy behaviors, and reduction of environmental risks;(ii) Recognition, evaluation, and assessment of athletic injuries by obtaining a history of the athletic injury, inspection and palpation of the injured part and associated structures, and performance of specific testing techniques related to stability and function to determine the extent of an injury;(iii) Immediate care of athletic injuries, including emergency medical situations through the application of first-aid and emergency procedures and techniques for nonlife-threatening or life-threatening athletic injuries;(iv) Treatment, rehabilitation, and reconditioning of athletic injuries through the application of physical agents and modalities, therapeutic activities and exercise, standard reassessment techniques and procedures, commercial products, and educational programs, in accordance with guidelines established with a licensed health care provider as provided in RCW 18.250.070;(v) Treatment, rehabilitation, and reconditioning of work-related injuries through the application of physical agents and modalities, therapeutic activities and exercise, standard reassessment techniques and procedures, commercial products, and educational programs, under the direct supervision of and in accordance with a plan of care for an individual worker established by a provider authorized to provide physical medicine and rehabilitation services for injured workers;

or(6) A personal or fitness trainer employed by an athletic club or fitness center and not representing themselves as an athletic trainer or performing the duties of an athletic trainertrainer.NEW provided under RCW 18.250.010(4)(a) (ii) through (vi).NEW SECTION.  Sec.

A new section is added to chapter 18.250 RCW to read as follows:(1) An athletic trainer licensed under this chapter may purchase, store, and administer over-the-counter medications such as pain relievers, hydrocortisone, fluocinonide, topical anesthetics, silver sulfadiazine, lidocaine, magnesium sulfate, zinc oxide, and other similar medications, and may draw-up and administer such other drugs or medications as prescribed by an authorized health care practitioner for the practice of athletic training.(a) An athletic trainer may not administer any medications to a student in a public school as defined in RCW 28A.150.010 or private schools governed by chapter 28A.195 RCW.(b) An athletic trainer may administer medications consistent with this section to a minor in a setting other than a school, if the minor's parent or guardian provides written consent.(2) An athletic trainer licensed under this chapter who has completed an anaphylaxis training program in accordance with RCW 70.54.440 may administer an epinephrine autoinjector to any individual who the athletic trainer believes in good faith is experiencing anaphylaxis as authorized by RCW 70.54.440.Sec.