Wash. Rev. Code » Title 5 · Chapter 5.62
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 5.62.020 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
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No registered nurse providing primary care or practicing under protocols, whether or not the physical presence or direct supervision of a physician is required, may be examined in a civil or criminal action as to any information acquired in attending a patient in the registered nurse's professional capacity, if the information was necessary to enable the registered nurse to act in that capacity for the patient, unless:
(1) The patient consents to disclosure or, in the event of death or disability of the patient, his or her personal representative, heir, beneficiary, or devisee consents to disclosure; or
(2) The information relates to the contemplation or execution of a crime in the future, or relates to the neglect or the sexual or physical abuse of a child, or of a vulnerable adult as defined in RCW 74.34.020, or to a person subject to proceedings under chapter *70.96A, 71.05, or 71.34 RCW.
[ 1989 c 271 s 302; 1986 c 212 s 1; 1985 c 447 s 2.]

Notes:

*Reviser's note: Chapter 70.96A RCW was repealed and/or recodified in its entirety pursuant to 2016 sp.s. c 29 ss 301, 601, and 701.
Severability—1989 c 271: See note following RCW 9.94A.510.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases, 1997–2020 · leading case: State v. Ross, 947 P.2d 1290 (Wash. Ct. App. 1997).
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State v. Ross, 947 P.2d 1290 (Wash. Ct. App. 1997). · cites it 2× “, RCW 5.62.020 (nurses), RCW 18.53.200 (optometrists), RCW 18.”
Hermanson v. Multicare Health Sys., Inc., 475 P.3d 484 (Wash. 2020). “97783-6 The nurse-patient privilege is codified at RCW 5.62.020, and the social worker- client privilege is codified at RCW 5.”
State v. Vietz, 973 P.2d 501 (Wash. Ct. App. 1999). · cites it 4× “He replied that he was and handed her a baggie of methamphetamine, saying, “I don’t want this.”
State Of Washington v. Vonda Valisa Pritchard (Wash. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 2× “may be examined in a civil or criminal action as to any information acquired in attending a patient in the registered nurse's professional capacity, if the information was necessary to enable the registered nurse to act in that capacity for the patient.”
State Of Washington v. Encarnacion Salas, Iv (Wash. Ct. App. 2018). “The doctor and nurse questioned him about how he sustained his arm wound.”
Doug Hermanson, Res/cross-app v. Multi-care Health Sys., App/cross-resp (Wash. Ct. App. 2019). “060(9); RCW 5.62.020. 14 RCW 5.60.060(9) provides that an “independent clinical social worker” who is “licensed under chapter 18.”
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