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New Jersey News: Changes in the Prescribing of Controlled Dangerous Substances by Advanced Practice Nurses
Reprinted from the April 2006 New Jersey Board of Pharmacy Newsletter.
The law (NJSA 45:11-49) regarding prescriptions issued by advanced practice nurses (APN) was amended, effective November 9, 2004, and resulted in modifications being made to the design of New Jersey Prescription Blanks (NJPBs), which may be issued by APNs. Pursuant to the amended statute, an APN may now prescribe controlled dangerous substances (CDS) in all medically appropriate settings, as long as joint protocols between the APN and his or her collaborating physician permit the same. In addition, if an APN wants to prescribe CDS, he or she must complete six contact hours of continuing education (CE) in pharmacology related to controlled substances. The prior restriction that APNs may only prescribe CDS under three specific sets of circumstances is no longer in effect. The NJPB format for APNs, since April 18, 2005, has been modified so that it is consistent with the amended statute. The previous version NJPB, which has three boxes to check to indicate if it is a reissue dosage change, or consistent with the statute, will be phased out. Until further notice, pharmacies may continue to accept CDS prescriptions from APNs written on the previous version NJPB without requiring that a box be checked off to indicate the rationale for prescribing. In addition, the prescribing APN is no longer required to list the Drug Enforcment Administration number of the collaborating physician. Please note that the Board of Pharmacy’s October 2005 Newsletter indicated that pharmacies would no longer be allowed to accept previous version NJPBs from APNs after December 31, 2005. The cutoff date has been extended until further notice.
