NR 508 Week 1 Discussion: Legal and Professional Issues in Prescribing
Week 1: Discussion- Foundation of the Role of the Nurse Practitioner as Prescriber Legal and Professional Issues in Prescribing
Describe NP practice in your state.
Tell the class what your state laws are related to nurse practitioner prescribing.
Include how many continuing education hours are required for your state.
Describe the importance of knowing the specific laws in your state pertaining to Nurse Practitioners prescribing medications.
Describe NP practice in your state.
In the state of Florida, nurse practitioners have restricted practice authority. This means that the scope of the nurse practitioner's practice is determined and outlined by a written collaborative agreement with a supervising physician. The written agreement is required to include the description of the duties of the nurse practitioner and the physician, which areas the nurse practitioner is responsible for managing, annual review provisions, and identifying specific conditions that require direct supervision and/or specific consultation by the physician. According to the Florida Board of Nursing (2017), the supervising physicians must be available by phone (at minimum) for consultation and patients are to be notified when the physician will be in and out of the office. In regards to prescribing authority, the nurse practitioner may prescribe any drug as well as Schedules II-V controlled substance under the supervision of a physician and if outlined in the written agreement.
Tell the class what your state laws are related to nurse practitioner prescribing.
Florida Statute 464.012 states that the nurse practitioner has the authority to prescribe, dispense, administer, or order any drug. Additionally, according to the Barbara Lumpkin Prescribing Act (2017), as of January 1, 2017 nurse practitioners with a Master’s or PhD may apply for a DEA license after passing the controlled substance training course. This allows qualifying nurse practitioners the authority to prescribe Schedule II-V controlled substances (Stokowski, 2013).
Include how many continuing education hours are required for your state.
Nurse practitioners are required to complete 24 appropriate general continuing education hours each renewal period (Florida Board of Nursing, 2017). Two of which must be related to medical error prevention and 2 hours in Laws and Rules in Nursing. Every third renewal practitioners must complete an additional 2 continuing education hours in domestic violence. Nurse practitioners must also complete 3 hours of continuing education on the safe and effective prescription of controlled substances (Florida Board of Nursing, 2017).
Describe the importance of knowing the specific laws in your state pertaining to Nurse Practitioners prescribing medications.
It is important for the nurse practitioner to know and understand the specific laws regarding prescriptive authority. It is important because this ensures that the nurse practitioner is operating within his/her scope
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