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Kansas News: Mid-Level Practitioner Prescribing
Published in the March 2009 Kansas State Board of Pharmacy Newsletter
The Physician Assistant Licensure Act and the Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Act do not specifically preclude mid-level practitioners from writing prescriptions for themselves or their family members. The American Medical Association’s Code of Ethics allows for the activities in emergencies or for minor issues, but it is considered inappropriate to prescribe controlled substances to family members. The American Academy of Physician Assistants also discourages the care of family members except in emergencies. While these authorities are not binding they are persuasive. Any prescription by a physician assistant or advanced registered nurse practitioner needs to be pursuant to an established protocol with a designated physician. As part of the medical review the physician would need to endorse the prescription. If a pharmacist believes that a physician assistant or advanced registered nurse practitioner is inappropriately writing prescriptions, the Kansas State Board of Nursing and the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts will make every effort to resolve the information with education on the scope of practice.
