SB 6514 Briefing
Urinary Tract Care at School

Brief Date: 1998, January 25th

Extensive Bill Information from the 55th Legislature Found at: <http://leginfo.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/senate/6500-6524/>.

This is a Senate bill on catheterization of students at school. Evidently RCW 28A.210.280 already allows it! This bill would prohibit punishing school nurses who don't want to catheterize a student. Why should students be catheterized at school at all?

Sexually transmitted diseases can block the urethra, making it difficult to urinate and this would be a medical reason for catheterization. For such a problem, why don't the students go to a doctor's office? Should schools take on more and more health clinic roles and functions?

You may question why the government needs to get involved in this procedure at all? If so, call or write your Senator to get the answers to questions like, "Can this procedure be performed without parental notification/consent?" and Can this be done without the consent of the child?"

As you know, it is legal in the state of Pennsylvania to conduct genital exams in school health checks in addition to eye exams and checks for scoliosis. In Pennsylvania the genital exams are performed on 5th and 6th graders. Is this catheterization business a behind the scenes expansion of medical treatment on school grounds? Would parents have to know their kid has a sexually transmitted diseases and a blocked urine tube or that it was taken care of at school?

SB 6514 Summary taken from Washington State LegInfo WEB site
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