A new bill introduced in Utah would expand the conditions where an advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) can prescribe schedule II controlled substances. The bill is sponsored by Representative James Dunnigan and Senator Curtis Bramble has had its second reading in the Senate and awaits further consideration. You can review the text of House Bill 336 (HB 336) in full here.    HB 336 proposes a substantial change to Utah’s current APRN prescription laws. Currently APRNs must enter into a consultation and referral plan with a physician in order to prescribe Scheduled II controlled substances. Under HB 336 APRNS would be able prescribe schedule II controlled substances without this consultation and referral plan as long as they meet a few requirements. APRNs would still need to maintain the consultation and referral plan if 1) they have been practicing less than a year or 2,000 hours are engaged in solo practice or 2) own or operate a pain clinic. HB 336 would allow APRNs with at least 3 years of practice to supervise the plans of APRNs in their first year. However APRNs in the pain clinic setting would still need to partner with a physician for their consultation and referral plan. HB 336 is at a sort of nexus of two national trends. One trend is to grant APRNs greater ability to practice independently form physician supervision. The other is to a restrictions on prescribing Schedule II controlled substances in an effort to curb opioid misuse. In that regard HB 336 seeks to strike a balance between these two competing goals.    We will be monitoring HB 336 as it works its way through Utah’s legislative process this year. If you would like to contact HB 336’s chief sponsor he can be reached via his page of the House of Representative’s website.
Yvonne Dellos says... Posted Wednesday, March 6, 2019 Did you mean to call #3 a Panic clinic or a Pain clinic? May just be a typo :D