New Opioid Prescribing Laws

APRNs Must Follow New Laws Regarding Opioid Prescriptions

 

Effective November 1, 2018, the Oklahoma Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substance Act will have new laws that impose prescription requirements for Opioids.  The new law 63 O.S. § 2-309I provides:  

                A practitioner shall not issue an initial prescription for an opioid drug which is a prescription drug in a quantity exceeding a seven-day supply for treatment of acute pain for an adult patient, or a seven-day supply for treatment of acute pain for a patient under the age of eighteen (18) years old.  Any prescription for acute pain pursuant to this subsection shall be for the lowest effective dose of immediate-release opioid drug.

 63 O.S. § 2-309I(A) (Emphasis added)

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) with prescriptive authority meet the statutory definition of “practitioner”. See, 63 O.S. § 2-101(32)(a)(8)  Therefore, APRN-CNP’s, APRN-CNS’s, and APRN-CNM’s with prescriptive authority recognition, in accordance with scope of practice, shall maintain compliance with the new state law. 

Currently, APRNs with prescriptive authority who prescribe Schedule III-V controlled dangerous substances must comply with the State and Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requirements prior to prescribing controlled substances. The Oklahoma Board of Nursing Rules state “No more than a 30-day supply for Schedule III-V drugs shall be prescribed by the APRN with prescriptive authority” [OAC 485: 10-16-5(c)]. APRNs must be in compliance with the more restrictive law, for prescribing Opioids, beginning November 1, 2018.  

The new laws do not apply to a prescription for a patient who is currently in active treatment for cancer, receiving hospice care from a licensed hospice or palliative care, or is a resident of a long term care facility, or to any medications that are being prescribed for use in the treatment of substance abuse or opioid dependence. See, 63 O.S. § 2-309I(G)

APRN’s are encouraged to review the new law requirements for prescribing Opioids by accessing the following link: http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=482877