Nurse practitioner role
Can a RN dispense self-administered hormonal contraceptive and contraceptive injections?
A Registered Nurse is authorized to dispense and administer hormonal contraceptives and contraceptives injections in public facilities including nonprofit community and student health center (Parker et al. 2017).
Can a nurse practitioner with schedule III-V furnishing privileges obtain schedule II furnishing privileges to meet the rescheduling Hydrocodone combination products (HCP) legislation?
A nurse practitioner can obtain schedule II furnishing privileges but the nurse should complete an online course and wait for approval from the Board of Registered Nurse on the verification system (BRN, 2004).
Can a nurse practitioner function in the emergency department?
A nurse practitioner can offer emergence treatment to patients with critical conditions.
Can nurse practitioners authorize durable medical equipment, certify disability and approve, sign, or modify care for home health services within the standardized procedure?
Nurse practitioners are authorized to prescribe medical equipment’s to patients, certify a disability, and approve home health services.
Can a nurse practitioner authorize disability benefits?
A nurse practitioner should provide evidence which entails all medical records such as the disabling condition, clinical findings, treatment history, and more so that patient can receive a disability benefit(BRN, 2004).
Can nurse practitioners obtain consent for blood transfusions?
Nurse practitioners should obtain a written consent before conducting any process such as blood transfusions. The NP should provide the patient with information regarding the risks and benefits (BRN, 2011).
Can nurse practitioners sign DMB physical exam for school bus drivers?
Nurse practitioners act as medical examiners. They perform physical exam for drivers to promote health. If they detect a chronic illness such diabetes and hypertension, they provide health care to improve their mental and physical health (BRN, 2011).
Can nurse practitioners certify disability for purpose of persons obtaining a disability placard or disability car license plate?
Nurse practitioners should certify that a person has a disability such as impairment so that the person can apply for a placard.
Do my patient charts need to be counter signed by a physician?
The law does not authorize the physician to counter sign the patient medical record.
Can a nurse practitioner dispense medications: If so, what laws should the nurse practitioner know about to perform this function?
A nurse practitioner can dispense medications under the B&P Code Section
Is a nurse practitioner practicing illegally when the physician supervisor is more than 50 miles away?
The nurse practitioner should provide quality of care and adhere to the standardized procedures even when the physician supervisor is 50 miles away.
Does the nurse practitioner need a physician supervision who is approved by the medical board?
The medical board does not approve the physician supervision. A physician can supervise from a distance.
I am a pediatric nurse practitioner and the physician wants me to start treating adults. I feel comfortable treating adults, so can we develop standardized procedures to cover this new population, diagnosis/treatments and furnishing?
In this case, the Nurse Practitioner should advance education to gain competence in the new area. The adult standardized procedure has the training requirement and the NP should adhere to the procedures to qualify (BRN, 1998).
. How often do my standardized procedure need updating?
Since patients require quality care every time, an update should be done regularly.
Can I adopt my nurse practitioner program’s standardized procedures as my own when I go out into practice?
A nurse practitioner can adopt the procedures if they are developed and approved by health care systems (BRN, 1998). The nurse should follow the specified conditions and should have the required education to utilize the policies and protocols.
I am a geriatric nurse practitioner and work with a physician who has patients in a number of long-term health care facilities. We have developed standardized procedure
For the medical care I will be providing in these facilities. Do the standardized procedures have to be approved by each facility?
The standardized procedures need to be approved by each facility. Note that the procedures are developed by nurses in healthcare system and they consider several activities (BRN, 1998). Each facility has its own policies and practices and therefore each facility should approves its own standards to meet the patients’ needs.
What are the requirements for the nurse practitioner in a long-term care facility?
In long-term care setting, NP are required to provide alternate care and visit, write admission orders, adhere to the standardization of procedures, conduct initial history, monitor patient condition, among other roles(BRN, 2004).
I am certified as a nurse practitioner by a national certifying body. Do I need to apply to the BRN for a nurse practitioner certificate?
As a NP, you should apply to the BRN to obtain a certificate and a license. Note that the BRN is responsible for categorizing the health nurses and a NP is issued with a furnishing number.
Can a Nurse Practitioner develop and use standardized procedures with a chiropractor? Can the Nurse practitioner furnish drugs and devices to these patients?
Focusing on the scope of practices, the NP and a chiropractor cannot develop standardized procedures. Note that these are two different fields which require different activities towards providing patient care. There should be no overlapping functions and therefore the clinicians from different field should not develop procedures (BRN, 1998). On the same note, the NP cannot furnish drugs to chiropractor patients since the standardized procedures are not well-matched. Note that it is illegal for a chiropractor and licenses healthcare professionals to makes medical decisions.
May I call myself a nurse practitioner once I have completed my nurse practitioner program?
Unless the Board of Registered Nursing gives the licenses and certification, one cannot be called a NP. Note that a NP is someone who qualify in accordance to the BRN.
I am a nurse practitioner and I do not have a nurse practitioner furnishing number. Can I still “furnish” medications for patients using a standardized procedure?
The only way a NP can furnish medications is through a furnishing number. The number is given to the NP who completes the requirements.
Does the NP need a furnishing number issued by the BRN to obtain a DEA number?
According to the guidelines, the NP should use the delegated authority to access the furnishing number and use the prescriptive authority to access DEA.
Does having a DEA number eliminate the need for a furnishing number?
It is important to understand that obtaining a DEA number and a furnishing number are two different step (BRN, 2004). Therefore, a NP should go for a DEA number in order to prescribe uncontrolled drugs and a furnishing number in order to furnish drugs.
On the DEA application, it asks “Administer, Dispense, and Prescribe”. Can an NP as a result SB 816 and now 1/2004 AB 1196 Montenez Chapter 748 prescribe?
NP can prescribe controlled substances with DEA registration and furnish number. They should adhere to the standardized procedures
Are NPs now considered “prescribers”?
NPs are now prescribers in that due to the prescriptive authority, they can prescribe medications in accordance to the standard of care.
Can the NP with a furnishing number use the physician’s DEA number?
The NP should have own furnishing number and DEA number
What is required to be printed on the prescription pad/transmittal order/drug order for schedule ll through V?
The prescription should contain the practitioner name, drug name, and furnishing and DEA numbers.
How long is a controlled substance prescription (Schedule ll -V) valid?
If a health professional prescribes a drug, the prescription is valid until 6 months.
Do nurse practitioners have prescriptive authority and can nurse practitioners get DEA numbers?
NR have a prescriptive privileges which allow them to obtain a DEA number
History of laws related to Furnishing schedule lll-V schedule ll controlled substances
The Controlled Substance Act has non-criminal regulatory which guide the regulation of substances from illegal use. Schedule 1 regulates unsafe drugs, Schedule II to V regulate less dangerous substances. Schedule 1 was initiated in 1984 for the purpose of restricting harmful chemicals from being accessed (BRN, 2004).
Where can a nurse practitioner find information on controlled substances such as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and pharmacy laws? Phone numbers subject to change.
Check online
A NP can derive information related to the manufacture and distribution of drug from sources such as Drug Enforcement Administration.
References
Parker, E. C., Kong, K., Watts, L. A., Schwarz, E. B., Darney, P. D., & De Bocanegra, H. T.
(2017). Visits to registered nurses: An opportunity to increase contraceptive access in
California. Nursing research, 66(4), 286.
BOARD OF REGISTERED NURSING. (BRN). (2004) CRITERIA FOR FURNISHING NUMBER
UTILIZATION BY NURSE PRACTITIONERS. DEPARTMENT OF CONUSMER AFFAIRS
BOARD OF REGISTERED NURSING. (2011). STANDARDIZED PROCEDURE GUIDELINES.
DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS
BOARD OF REGISTERED NURSING. (1998). AN EXPLANATION OF STANDARDIZED PROCEDURE
REQUIRMENTS FOR NURSE PRACTITIONER PRACTICE. DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER
AFFAIRS
