WSU nursing, pharmacy and medical students will have an easier time participating in community health fairs and vaccination clinics thanks to a bill signed by Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this month.
Student-government leaders from WSU Health Sciences helped develop the legislation, with Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, as the lead sponsor. It will take effect on July 28.
It amends state law to allow nursing, pharmacy and medical students to be supervised by preceptors from any of those professions while volunteering.
For example, students from all three colleges would be able to give immunizations at a community clinic under the supervision of a licensed practitioner from any one of those professions. Under current law, there would need to be a licensed pharmacist, physician and nurse all present as preceptors in that scenario.
Brandy Seignemartin, vice president of legislative affairs for the Associated Students of WSU Health Sciences and a third-year pharmacy student, said passage of the legislation was “a great way to end the school year.”
Similar legislation was introduced in 2015 but didn’t go anywhere. Seignemartin contacted stakeholders in nursing, pharmacy and medicine to address their concerns. Then a group that included Seignemartin, Johanna Pantig, president of ASWSUHS, first-year medical student Erin Kaya and third-year pharmacy student Lauren Powell approached Riccelli about sponsoring the legislation.
“I learned so much going through this entire process,” Seignemartin said. “It’s helped me to know in the future I want to be involved in advocating for my profession and healthcare in general.”