Healthcare (Healthcare Workforce)

SB 5657 authorizes certified medical assistants with an "EMT" designation (medical assistant-EMT) to work in source plasma donation centers under physician supervision, expanding their scope beyond typical clinical settings. This directly affects plasma donation centers in Washington and medical assistants holding this specific certification. The bill amends certification rules to allow the medical assistant-EMT credential to be transferable exclusively between hospitals and plasma donation centers (previously limited to hospitals only). It specifies that these certified professionals may perform blood draw procedures (venipuncture), patient preparation, and other tasks listed in their scope of practice, as defined in the existing medical assistant regulations.