Rhode Island § 5-34-49 - Nurses

§ 5-34-49. Prescriptive authority.

(a) The board of nursing shall grant prescribing, ordering, dispensing, and furnishing authority.

(b) An APRN licensed by the board of nursing may prescribe, order, procure, administer, dispense, and furnish over-the-counter, legend, and controlled substances pursuant to applicable state and federal laws, when the APRN has completed an educational program as described in this chapter that includes courses in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment and is within the APRN’s role and population focus.

(c) Prescribing, ordering, dispensing, and furnishing shall include the authority to:

(1) Diagnose, prescribe, and institute therapy or referrals of patients to healthcare agencies, healthcare providers, and community resources;

(2) Prescribe, procure, administer, dispense, and furnish pharmacological agents, including over-the-counter, legend, and controlled substances; and

(3) Plan and initiate a therapeutic regimen that includes ordering and prescribing non-pharmacological interventions, including, but not limited to, durable medical equipment, medical devices, nutrition, blood and blood products, and diagnostic and supportive services including, but not limited to, home health care, hospice, and physical and occupational therapy.

(d) Prescriptive privileges for the certified nurse practitioner shall include all the authority under the APRN license including:

(1) Prescription of legend medications and prescription of controlled substances from Schedules II, III, IV, and V that are established in regulation; and

(2) May be certified to prescribe controlled substances from Schedule I.

(e) Prescriptive privileges for APRNs with the population focus of psychiatric/mental health:

(1) Shall include prescription of certain psychotropic and certain legend medications, controlled substances from Schedule II classified as stimulants, and controlled substances from Schedule III and IV that are prescribed in regulations;

(2) Shall not include controlled substances from Schedules I, II, and V and those certain legend medications not included in subsection (e)(1).

(f) CRNAs may be granted prescriptive privileges in accordance with the provisions of chapter 34.2 of this title.

(g) Prescriptive privileges for certified clinical nurse specialist shall include:

(1) Diagnosing, prescribing, and instituting therapy or referrals of patients to healthcare agencies, healthcare providers, and community resources; and

(2) Planning and initiating a therapeutic regimen that includes ordering and prescribing non-pharmacological interventions, including, but not limited to, durable medical equipment, medical devices, nutrition, blood and blood products, and diagnostic and supportive services including, but not limited to, home health care, hospice, and physical and occupational therapy; and

(3) Prescription of over-the-counter medications within their population foci.