New Jersey News: Verbal Prescription Orders from Assisted Living Facilities

July 1, 2009 3:34 pm Topics: Prescribing authority and Prescriptions

Reprinted from the July 2009 New Jersey Board of Pharmacy Newsletter.

The Board recently received an inquiry regarding the authority of nurses in assisted living facilities to telephone pharmacies with verbal prescription orders taken from the prescriber. N.J.A.C. 13:39-7.10 lists the regulations regarding prescriptions transmitted by facsimile, while N.J.A.C. 13:39-7.11 lists the regulations with respect to electronically transmitted prescriptions. Both sets of regulations specify that the authority to transmit a prescription order to the pharmacy is limited to a practitioner authorized to prescribe medications, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 45:14-14, or the prescribing practitioner’s authorized agent. During the June 10, 2009 open session, the New Jersey Board of Pharmacy determined that a nurse employed by an assisted living facility cannot be considered an authorized agent of a prescribing practitioner with respect to taking a verbal prescription order and transmitting such prescription order to a pharmacy. Under such circumstances the pharmacist may receive the prescription order only from the prescribing practitioner directly or his or her authorized agent.