Jails may provide for the delivery and administration of medications and medication assistance for inmates in their custody by nonpractitioner jail personnel, subject to the following conditions:
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Terms Used In Washington Code 70.48.490

  • Administration: means the direct application of a drug whether by ingestion or inhalation, to the body of an inmate by a practitioner or nonpractitioner jail personnel. See Washington Code 70.48.020
  • delivery: means the actual, constructive, or attempted transfer from one person to another of medication whether or not there is an agency relationship. See Washington Code 70.48.020
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Health care: means preventive, diagnostic, and rehabilitative services provided by licensed health care professionals and/or facilities; such care to include providing prescription drugs where indicated. See Washington Code 70.48.020
  • Jail: means any holding, detention, special detention, or correctional facility as defined in this section. See Washington Code 70.48.020
  • Medication: means a drug, legend drug, or controlled substance requiring a prescription or an over-the-counter or nonprescription drug. See Washington Code 70.48.020
  • Medication assistance: includes reminding or coaching the individual, handing the medication container to the individual, opening the individual's medication container, using an enabler, or placing the medication in the individual's hand. See Washington Code 70.48.020
  • Nonpractitioner jail personnel: means appropriately trained staff who are authorized to manage, deliver, or administer prescription and nonprescription medication under RCW 70. See Washington Code 70.48.020
(1) The jail administrator or his or her designee, or chief law enforcement executive or his or her designee, shall enter into an agreement between the jail and a licensed pharmacist, pharmacy, or other licensed practitioner or health care facility to ensure access to pharmaceutical services on a twenty-four hour a day basis, including consultation and dispensing services.
(2) The jail administrator or chief law enforcement executive shall adopt policies which address the designation and training of nonpractitioner jail personnel who may deliver and administer medications or provide medication assistance to inmates as provided in this chapter. The policies must address the administration of prescriptions from licensed practitioners prescribing within the scope of their prescriptive authority, the identification of medication to be delivered and administered or administered through medication assistance, the means of securing medication with attention to the safeguarding of legend drugs, and the means of maintaining a record of the delivery, administration, self-administration, or medication assistance of all medication. The jail administrator or chief law enforcement executive shall designate a physician licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW, or a registered nurse or advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW, to train the designated nonpractitioner jail personnel in proper medication procedures and monitor their compliance with the procedures.
(3) The jail administrator or chief law enforcement executive shall consult with one or more pharmacists, and one or more licensed physicians or nurses, in the course of developing the policies described in subsections (1) and (2) of this section. A jail shall provide the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs with a copy of the jail’s current policies regarding medication management.
(4) The practitioner or nonpractitioner jail personnel delivering, administering, or providing medication assistance is in receipt of (a) for prescription drugs, a written, current, and unexpired prescription, and instructions for administration from a licensed practitioner prescribing within the scope of his or her prescriptive authority for administration of the prescription drug; (b) for nonprescription drugs, a written, current, and unexpired instruction from a licensed practitioner regarding the administration of the nonprescription drug; and (c) for minors under the age of eighteen, a written, current consent from the minor’s parent, legal guardian, or custodian consenting to the administration of the medication.
(5) Nonpractitioner jail personnel may help in the preparation of legend drugs or controlled substances for self-administration where a practitioner has determined and communicated orally or by written direction that the medication preparation assistance is necessary and appropriate. Medication assistance shall not include assistance with intravenous medications or injectable medications.
(6) Nonpractitioner jail personnel shall not include inmates.
(7) All medication is delivered and administered and all medication assistance is provided by a practitioner or nonpractitioner jail personnel pursuant to the policies adopted in this section, and in compliance with the prescription of a practitioner prescribing within the scope of his or her prescriptive authority, or the written instructions as provided in this section.
(8) The jail administrator or the chief law enforcement executive shall ensure that all nonpractitioner jail personnel authorized to deliver, administer, and provide medication assistance are trained pursuant to the policies adopted in this section prior to being permitted to deliver, administer, or provide medication assistance to an inmate.
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