Reporting WHPS with Nursing Licensure Compact

Washington Health Professional Services (WHPS) is the program approved by the Board of Nursing (BON) for substance use monitoring, whether of the nurse’s own volition or by agreement in lieu of any discipline.  In the past, the BON might never know if a nurse was being monitored by WHPS if the nurse was in compliance with WHPS, or if the BON referred the nurse and they agreed by way of a referral contract, nothing more would be reported to other agencies.

Now, though, Washington’s BON has joined the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) effective July 24, 2023. This means a Washington nurse can practice in other NLC states/territories without obtaining additional licenses, as long they are not a current participant in an alternative program such as WHPS:  Applying For Licensure | NURSECOMPACT  Also, should a nurse be operating under the NLC and then enrolls with WHPS, they must report this to under the NLC.

Then, Washington’s BON will revert any NLC license to simply a state license, indicating there is no privilege to practice (PTP) under the NLC and will flag NURYS with an Alternative to Discipline (ATD) message—it is not public record but is available to access with a NCSBN Membership through Passport. 

This adds another layer of stigma to those nurses in active recovery which Washington has been on the path to correct, adding a new section to Chapter 18.79 RCW governing nursing care specifically, to come in line with Substitute House Bill 1255.