S-4014.1
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5880
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By Senate Health & Long Term Care (originally sponsored by Senator
Muzzall)
1 AN ACT Relating to establishing a primary certification process
2 for magnetic resonance imaging technologists; amending RCW 18.84.080,
3 18.84.030, and 18.84.130; and reenacting and amending RCW 18.84.020.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
5 Sec. 1. RCW 18.84.020 and 2010 c 92 s 1 are each reenacted and
6 amended to read as follows:
7 The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter
8 unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
9 (1) "Approved cardiovascular invasive specialist program" or
10 "approved radiologist assistant program" means a school approved by
11 the secretary. The secretary may recognize other organizations that
12 establish standards for radiologist assistant programs or
13 cardiovascular invasive specialist programs and designate schools
14 that meet the organization's standards as approved.
15 (2) "Approved school of radiologic technology" means a school of
16 radiologic technology, cardiovascular invasive specialist program, or
17 radiologist assistant program approved by the secretary or a school
18 found to maintain the equivalent of such a course of study as
19 determined by the department. Such school may be operated by a
20 medical or educational institution, and for the purpose of providing
p. 1 SSB 5880
1 any requisite clinical experience, shall be affiliated with one or
2 more general hospitals.
3 (3) "Cardiac or vascular catheterization" means all anatomic or
4 physiological studies of intervention in which the heart, coronary
5 arteries, or vascular system are entered via a systemic vein or
6 artery using a catheter that is manipulated under fluoroscopic
7 visualization.
8 (4) "Department" means the department of health.
9 (5) "Licensed practitioner" means any licensed health care
10 practitioner performing services within the person's authorized scope
11 of practice.
12 (6) "Nonionizing radiation" includes radiation such as
13 radiofrequency or microwaves, visible, infrared, or ultraviolet light
14 or ultrasound.
15 (7) "Radiologic technologist" means an individual certified under
16 this chapter, other than a licensed practitioner, who practices
17 radiologic technology as a:
18 (a) Diagnostic radiologic technologist, who is a person who
19 actually handles X-ray equipment in the process of applying radiation
20 on a human being for diagnostic purposes at the direction of a
21 licensed practitioner, this includes parenteral procedures related to
22 radiologic technology when performed under the direct supervision of
23 a physician licensed under chapter 18.71 or 18.57 RCW;
24 (b) Therapeutic radiologic technologist, who is a person who uses
25 radiation-generating equipment for therapeutic purposes on human
26 subjects at the direction of a licensed practitioner, this includes
27 parenteral procedures related to radiologic technology when performed
28 under the direct supervision of a physician licensed under chapter
29 18.71 or 18.57 RCW;
30 (c) Magnetic resonance imaging technologist, who is a person who
31 uses a nonionizing radiation process on a human being by which
32 certain nuclei, when placed in a magnetic field, absorb and release
33 energy in the form of radio waves that are analyzed by a computer
34 thereby producing an image of human anatomy and physiological
35 information, at the direction of a licensed practitioner, this
36 includes parenteral procedures related to radiologic technology when
37 performed under the direct supervision of a physician licensed under
38 chapter 18.71 or 18.57 RCW.
39 (d) Nuclear medicine technologist, who is a person who prepares
40 radiopharmaceuticals and administers them to human beings for
p. 2 SSB 5880
1 diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and who performs in vivo and in
2 vitro detection and measurement of radioactivity for medical purposes
3 at the direction of a licensed practitioner;
4 (((d))) (e) Radiologist assistant, who is an advanced-level
5 certified diagnostic radiologic technologist who assists radiologists
6 by performing advanced diagnostic imaging procedures as determined by
7 rule under levels of supervision defined by the secretary, this
8 includes but is not limited to enteral and parenteral procedures when
9 performed under the direction of the supervising radiologist, and
10 that these procedures may include injecting diagnostic agents to
11 sites other than intravenous, performing diagnostic aspirations and
12 localizations, and assisting radiologists with other invasive
13 procedures; or
14 (((e))) (f) Cardiovascular invasive specialist, who is a person
15 who assists in cardiac or vascular catheterization procedures under
16 the personal supervision of a physician licensed under chapter 18.71
17 or 18.57 RCW. This includes parenteral procedures related to cardiac
18 or vascular catheterization including, but not limited to, parenteral
19 procedures involving arteries and veins.
20 (((7))) (8) "Radiologic technology" means the use of ionizing or
21 nonionizing radiation upon a human being for diagnostic or
22 therapeutic purposes.
23 (((8))) (9) "Radiologist" means a physician certified by the
24 American board of radiology or the American osteopathic board of
25 radiology.
26 (((9))) (10) "Registered X-ray technician" means a person who is
27 registered with the department, and who applies ionizing radiation at
28 the direction of a licensed practitioner and who does not perform
29 parenteral procedures.
30 (((10))) (11) "Secretary" means the secretary of health.
31 Sec. 2. RCW 18.84.080 and 2010 c 92 s 2 are each amended to read
32 as follows:
33 (1) The secretary shall issue a certificate to any applicant who
34 demonstrates to the secretary's satisfaction, that the following
35 requirements have been met to practice as:
36 (a) A diagnostic radiologic technologist, therapeutic radiologic
37 technologist, magnetic resonance imaging technologist, or nuclear
38 medicine technologist:
p. 3 SSB 5880
1 (i) Graduation from an approved school or successful completion
2 of alternate training that meets the criteria established by the
3 secretary;
4 (ii) Satisfactory completion of a radiologic ((technologist))
5 technology examination approved by the secretary; and
6 (iii) Good moral character;
7 (b) A radiologist assistant:
8 (i) Satisfactory completion of an approved radiologist assistant
9 program;
10 (ii) Satisfactory completion of a radiologist assistant
11 examination approved by the secretary; and
12 (iii) Good moral character; or
13 (c) A cardiovascular invasive specialist:
14 (i) Satisfactory completion of a cardiovascular invasive
15 specialist program or alternate training approved by the secretary.
16 The secretary may only approve a cardiovascular invasive specialist
17 program that includes training in the following subjects:
18 Cardiovascular anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, radiation
19 physics and safety, radiation imaging and positioning, medical
20 recordkeeping, and multicultural health as required by RCW
21 43.70.615(3);
22 (ii) Satisfactory completion of a cardiovascular invasive
23 specialist examination approved by the secretary. For purposes of
24 this subsection (1)(c)(ii), the secretary may approve an examination
25 administered by a national credentialing organization for
26 cardiovascular invasive specialists; and
27 (iii) Good moral character.
28 (2) Applicants shall be subject to the grounds for denial or
29 issuance of a conditional license under chapter 18.130 RCW.
30 (3) The secretary shall establish by rule what constitutes
31 adequate proof of meeting the requirements for certification and for
32 designation of certification in a particular field of radiologic
33 technology.
34 Sec. 3. RCW 18.84.030 and 2008 c 246 s 3 are each amended to
35 read as follows:
36 No person may practice radiologic technology without being
37 registered or certified under this chapter, unless that person is a
38 licensed practitioner as defined in RCW 18.84.020(((3))) (5). A
39 person represents himself or herself to the public as a certified
p. 4 SSB 5880
1 radiologic technologist when that person adopts or uses a title or
2 description of services that incorporates one or more of the
3 following items or designations:
4 (1) Certified radiologic technologist or CRT, for persons so
5 certified under this chapter;
6 (2) Certified radiologic therapy technologist, CRTT, or CRT, for
7 persons certified in the therapeutic field;
8 (3) Certified radiologic diagnostic technologist, CRDT, or CRT,
9 for persons certified in the diagnostic field;
10 (4) Certified nuclear medicine technologist, CNMT, or CRT, for
11 persons certified as nuclear medicine technologists; ((or))
12 (5) Certified magnetic resonance imaging technologist, CMRIT, or
13 CRT, for persons certified as magnetic resonance imaging
14 technologists; or
15 (6) Certified radiologist assistant or CRA for persons certified
16 as radiologist assistants.
17 Sec. 4. RCW 18.84.130 and 1991 c 222 s 5 are each amended to
18 read as follows:
19 The secretary may provide educational materials and training to
20 registered X-ray technicians, certified radiologic technologists,
21 licensed practitioners and the public concerning, but not limited to,
22 health risks associated with ionizing and nonionizing radiation,
23 proper radiographic techniques, and X-ray and other imaging equipment
24 maintenance. The secretary may charge fees to recover the cost of
25 providing educational materials and training.
--- END ---
p. 5 SSB 5880
Statutes affected: Original Bill: 18.84.080, 18.84.030, 18.84.130
Substitute Bill: 18.84.080, 18.84.030, 18.84.130