Virginia Code 54.1-2957.01: Prescription of certain controlled substances and devices by licensed advanced practice registered nurses.
A. In accordance with the provisions of this section and pursuant to the requirements of Chapter 33 (§ 54.1-3300 et seq.), a licensed advanced practice registered nurse shall have the authority to prescribe Schedule II through Schedule VI controlled substances and devices as set forth in Chapter 34 (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.).
Terms Used In Virginia Code 54.1-2957.01
- Advanced practice registered nurse: means a certified nurse midwife, certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist, or nurse practitioner who is jointly licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing pursuant to § Virginia Code 54.1-2900
- Certified nurse midwife: means an advanced practice registered nurse who is certified in the specialty of nurse midwifery and who is jointly licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing as an advanced practice registered nurse pursuant to § Virginia Code 54.1-2900
- Certified registered nurse anesthetist: means an advanced practice registered nurse who is certified in the specialty of nurse anesthesia, who is jointly licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing as an advanced practice registered nurse pursuant to § Virginia Code 54.1-2900
- Clinical nurse specialist: means an advanced practice registered nurse who is certified in the specialty of clinical nurse specialist and who is jointly licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing as an advanced practice registered nurse pursuant to § Virginia Code 54.1-2900
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Patient care team: means a multidisciplinary team of health care providers actively functioning as a unit with the management and leadership of one or more patient care team physicians for the purpose of providing and delivering health care to a patient or group of patients. See Virginia Code 54.1-2900
- Patient care team physician: means a physician who is actively licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth, who regularly practices medicine in the Commonwealth, and who provides management and leadership in the care of patients as part of a patient care team. See Virginia Code 54.1-2900
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
B. An advanced practice registered nurse who does not meet the requirements for practice without a written or electronic practice agreement set forth in subsection I of § 54.1-2957 shall prescribe controlled substances or devices only if such prescribing is authorized by a written or electronic practice agreement entered into by the advanced practice registered nurse and a patient care team physician or, if the advanced practice registered nurse is licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing in the category of clinical nurse specialist, the advanced practice registered nurse and a licensed physician. Such advanced practice registered nurse shall provide to the Boards of Medicine and Nursing such evidence as the Boards may jointly require that the advanced practice registered nurse has entered into and is, at the time of writing a prescription, a party to a written or electronic practice agreement with a patient care team physician, or, if the advanced practice registered nurse is licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing in the category of clinical nurse specialist, a licensed physician, that clearly states the prescriptive practices of the advanced practice registered nurse. Such written or electronic practice agreements shall include the controlled substances the advanced practice registered nurse is or is not authorized to prescribe and may restrict such prescriptive authority as described in the practice agreement. Evidence of a practice agreement shall be maintained by an advanced practice registered nurse pursuant to § 54.1-2957. Practice agreements authorizing an advanced practice registered nurse to prescribe controlled substances or devices pursuant to this section either shall be signed by the patient care team physician, or, if the advanced practice registered nurse is licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing in the category of clinical nurse specialist, a licensed physician, or shall clearly state the name of the patient care team physician, or, if the advanced practice registered nurse is licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing in the category of clinical nurse specialist, the name of the licensed physician, who has entered into the practice agreement with the advanced practice registered nurse.
It shall be unlawful for an advanced practice registered nurse to prescribe controlled substances or devices pursuant to this section unless (i) such prescription is authorized by the written or electronic practice agreement or (ii) the advanced practice registered nurse is authorized to practice without a written or electronic practice agreement pursuant to subsection I of § 54.1-2957.
C. The Boards of Medicine and Nursing shall promulgate regulations governing the prescriptive authority of advanced practice registered nurses as are deemed reasonable and necessary to ensure an appropriate standard of care for patients. Such regulations shall include requirements as may be necessary to ensure continued advanced practice registered nurse competency, which may include continuing education, testing, or any other requirement, and shall address the need to promote ethical practice, an appropriate standard of care, patient safety, the use of new pharmaceuticals, and appropriate communication with patients.
D. This section shall not limit the functions and procedures of certified registered nurse anesthetists or of any advanced practice registered nurses which are otherwise authorized by law or regulation.
E. The following restrictions shall apply to any advanced practice registered nurse authorized to prescribe drugs and devices pursuant to this section:
1. The advanced practice registered nurse shall disclose to the patient at the initial encounter that he is a licensed advanced practice registered nurse. Any party to a practice agreement shall disclose, upon request of a patient or his legal representative, the name of the patient care team physician, or, if the advanced practice registered nurse is licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing in the category of clinical nurse specialist, the name of the licensed physician, and information regarding how to contact the patient care team physician or licensed physician.
2. Physicians shall not serve as a patient care team physician on a patient care team or enter into a practice agreement with more than six advanced practice registered nurses at any one time, except that a physician may serve as a patient care team physician on a patient care team with up to 10 advanced practice registered nurses licensed in the category of psychiatric-mental health advanced practice registered nurse.
F. This section shall not prohibit a licensed advanced practice registered nurse from administering controlled substances in compliance with the definition of “administer” in § 54.1-3401 or from receiving and dispensing manufacturers’ professional samples of controlled substances in compliance with the provisions of this section.
G. Notwithstanding any provision of law or regulation to the contrary, a certified nurse midwife licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing as such and holding a license for prescriptive authority may prescribe Schedules II through VI controlled substances. However, if the certified nurse midwife licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing in the category of certified nurse midwife is required, pursuant to subsection H of § 54.1-2957, to practice pursuant to a practice agreement, such prescribing shall also be in accordance with any prescriptive authority included in such practice agreement.
H. Notwithstanding any provision of law or regulation to the contrary, a certified registered nurse anesthetist licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing as such shall have the authority to prescribe Schedule II through Schedule VI controlled substances and devices in accordance with the requirements for practice set forth in subsection C of § 54.1-2957 to a patient requiring anesthesia, as part of the periprocedural care of such patient. As used in this subsection, “periprocedural” means the period beginning prior to a procedure and ending at the time the patient is discharged.
1991, cc. 519, 524; 1992, c. 409; 1995, c. 506; 1999, c. 745; 2000, c. 924; 2005, c. 926; 2006, c. 494; 2012, c. 213; 2016, c. 495; 2018, c. 776; 2020, cc. 100, 161; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 157, 396; 2022, cc. 197, 667; 2023, c. 183.