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V
ICTORY!
Favorable rules for
therapeutic breast/chest massage
are being implemented
in Washington State.
Related rules for
draping, record keeping & pelvic floor massage
have also been updated.
effective July 30, 2017
The Board of Massage has worked for the past 3 years revising the Washington Administrative Code (WAC rules) for massage therapy.
The board recently distributed the finalized text of the new rules via email, they have not yet updated the Department of Health website with the new rules.
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The new rules for breast massage
specifically identify massage of the full breast as being within our scope of practice, and hence available for those of us who choose to give and receive it. The rules also identify specific requirements designed to protect the public from unwanted touch.
The breast massage rules specify requirements for:
- prior, informed, written and verbal consent for breast massage by the client/patient
- education: massage therapists must attend 16 hours of breast massage education before offering this option to clients
- documentation related to breast massage
I have expanded my 8 CE breast massage class to a 16 CE class to fulfill the WA state requirements. See class description and registration information below.
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Our current rules require us to provide our clients with drapes, but do not specify that the client must use the drape.
The new rules specify that the drape must be used, with the following guidelines:
- The updated rules apply equally to all genders.
- The genitals must always be covered, without exception.
- The gluteal cleft distal to the tip of the coccyx must be covered, with the following exception.With prior written, verbal, and signed informed consent, the gluteal drape may be temporarily moved in order to perform therapeutic treatment of the area.
- The breast area must be covered, with the following exceptions. With prior written, verbal, and signed informed consent, the breast drape may be temporarily moved in order to perform therapeutic treatment of the area. In addition, with informed and written consent, a client or patient may choose to have their upper torso undraped during the entire massage.
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Although many businesses currently require documentation for every massage given, our current WAC rules do not require us to keep documentation.
The new rules specify that documentation is required for all massage sessions given
"appropriate to the venue, the type and complexity of those services and, when applicable, in sufficient detail to support and enable anticipated continuity of care."
Records must be kept for treatment massage, relaxation massage, event massage, all massage, without exception.
The documentation rules are extremely detailed.
Click here to read the full text.
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PELVIC FLOOR MASSAGE RULES:
The "scope of practice - limitations"
rule includes this text,
"A massage therapist must maintain evidence of the completion of at least sixteen specialized in-person contact hours of education and training if they are performing massage in the perineal area in addition to obtaining prior written and verbal informed consent. This written consent may be included within an overall general consent to massage document, if clearly delineated and either specifically initialed or signed."
At their meeting last week, the Board reopened processing on this rule with intention to sync it to the breast massage rules.
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DOWNLOAD A CONSENT FORM
THAT SATISFIES ALL THE NEW RULES:
Click the button below to view, and optionally download, a form I created to document the client's consent for treatment of vulnerable areas. This form satisfies the multiple consent and documentation rules in Washington State related to the draping and/or massage of the chest/breast, and also of the pelvic floor.
Although the rules do not specify whether written consent is required for each session or only on the initial intake form, to support safety I have created the form with space for the client to initial their consent at each session.
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Feel free to modify this form as needed to use in your practice. If you would like a copy in WORD, email me a request.
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Sat-Sun: Sept. 30 - Oct. 1, 2017, 9 am - 6 pm, 16 CEs
location: Holiday Inn Express, in North Seattle
Register online on the Therapeutic Training Center website
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In this class students will learn massage of the ribcage, chest and breasts to support healthy breathing and general stress relief within full body wellness massage. Students also learn how this massage can benefit clients living with breast cancer, breast augmentation, breast reduction, mastectomy, fibrocystic breast tissue, and other non-cancerous breast conditions.
The chest and breast massage taught in this class is intended to be easily integrated into a holistic, full body session to relieve tension, stress and pain, and to increase our clients' ease of movement in both the upper and lower body. This work consistently helps clients feel and connect with their whole body in a wonderful way that many have not previously experienced.
Emphasis is placed on making our touch safe, pleasant, sexually neutral, and effective for both female and male clients. In many of the techniques taught, pressure is directed to the muscles and ribs located deep to the mammary glands which are within breast tissue. Students will learn massage techniques which are done with the chest draped and other techniques which are done bare chested/breasted for both men and women.
More than half the class is devoted to hands on massage practice. The balance of the time is spent participating in discussion of the issues specific to breast massage listed below.
This course meets Washington State training requirements for specialized training in breast massage, to be effective July 30, 2017 (WAC 246-830-555). Course training includes:
- indications & contraindications
- therapeutic treatment techniques
- draping requirements
- appropriate therapist-client or patient boundaries
- expected outcomes
- client/ patient safety related to breast massage
- breast anatomy and physiology
- pathology
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8 CE BREAST MASSAGE CLASS
This class is for therapists who already have some breast massage training, but need more to satisfy the new requirements.
taught by Barbara Helynn Heard, LMP
Wed: August 2, 2017, 10:15 am - 7:15 pm, 8 CEs
location: private home on Capitol Hill in Seattle
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This semi private class is open to female therapists only. Class size is limited to 4 students.
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OTHER BREAST MASSAGE CLASSES
which satisfy the new requirements
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Click here to see details about a class taught in Seattle September 3-4, 2017 by Aubrey Lesicki of Breast Remedy Seattle.
Click here to see details about a class taught in Olympia in October 14-15, 2017 by Sara Haase of Hasse Seminars & Consulting.
I've taken classes from both of these teachers, and recommend them.
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to see videos demonstrating Lomilomi by Awareness Massage.
with aloha,
Barbara Helynn Heard, LMP
barbaraheard@msn.com
(206) 325-3479
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