Prescription Privileges and Electronic PrescribingDisclaimer: Practice guidelines provide licensees with general guidance to promote good practice. Law, rules and regulations, not guidelines, specify the requirements for practice and what may constitute professional misconduct. Show New York law authorizes nurse practitioners (NPs) to order, prescribe or dispense medications (including controlled substances) for the treatment of their patients. After completing New York State Education Department approved pharmacology coursework and being certified by the New York State Education Department to prescribe, most nurse practitioners must obtain additional government approvals and meet other criteria in order to prescribe medications or certain medical devices. New York State Law requires nurse practitioners, midwives, dentists, podiatrists, physicians, physician assistants and optometrists in New York State (“prescribers”) to issue prescriptions electronically directly to a pharmacy, with limited exceptions. The law will not require a prescriber to issue a prescription electronically when:
The new law requires electronic prescribing for all types of medications (controlled substances and non-controlled substances) and for syringes and other medical devices dispensed at a pharmacy in New York. Information about this law (Public Health Law § 281) is available on the New York State Department of Health website. An electronic prescription is a prescription that is:
Electronic prescription computer technology must comply with federal and New York regulations. These regulations require prescribers and pharmacists to have a secure (encrypted and encoded) system for electronic transmission of the prescription from computer to computer in order to protect the confidentiality and security of patient information. Electronic prescribing computer applications must also be “certified” (i.e. audited by an organization or certified by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency to ensure it meets technical standards acceptable to federal government). EMAILed prescriptions are NOT considered electronic prescriptions since EMAIL is not considered a secure method of electronically transmitting a prescription. A faxed prescription is NOT considered an electronic prescription. Prescribers must personally generate and transmit electronic prescriptions to pharmacies or pharmacists and are not legally allowed to delegate this responsibility to other individuals. Electronic prescriptions must include the same information that written prescriptions do except that:
For more information, visit: www.health.ny.gov/professionals/narcotic/ Nurse practitioners and other prescribers must obtain a number of government approvals and identification numbers, and meet other government requirements in order to issue prescriptions or order certain medications or medical devices. Here’s a brief summary of these government requirements.
What can nurse practitioners not do?Autonomy and Prescription Authority
For NPs who work in restricted states, they cannot prescribe, diagnose, or treat patients without physician oversight. Doctors are able to prescribe, diagnose, and treat patients in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Can a nurse practitioner give you medicine?California's Nurse Practitioner Prescribing Laws
Nurse practitioners in California may order, administer, dispense and prescribe medications including schedule II-V controlled substances. Yes, NP's in this great state are allowed to prescribe the good stuff– within a collaborative practice agreement.
Can a nurse practitioner prescribe Xanax?So yes, nurse practitioners can write prescriptions for these anxiety medications in all 50 states, according to each state's guidelines for prescribing.
Can nurse practitioners prescribe antidepressants?Primary Care Providers (includes family physicians, internists, geriatricians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants who can all prescribe antidepressants) undergo mental health training and can prescribe antidepressant medications.
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