I want to take this opportunity to discuss our new granted privilege to prescribe controlled substance. There are five classes of substance considered under the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 (Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, 2019).

I want to take this opportunity to discuss our new granted privilege to prescribe controlled substance. There are five classes of substance considered under the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 (Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, 2019).

The privilege for Nurse Practitioners(NPs) to prescribe controlled substance was legally approved in Florida, the last state to grant such a privilege for midlevel practitioners, in 2017( Kellangs & Maye, 2017).  Once licensed as Florida NP, you will need 2 hours of controlled substance prescription CEUs and to apply for the DEA license. The application cost $ 731 and it’s valid for three years. NPs are required to have a controlled substance agreement with the supervising physician.

DEA website https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/webforms/jsp/regapps/common/newAppLogin.jsp

Do you think the ability to prescribe controlled substance benefits the Nurse Practitioners practice? Why or why not?

References

Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. Retrieved on March 10, 2019 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comprehensive_Drug_Abuse_Prevention_and_Control_Act_of_1970

Kellams, J. R., & Maye, J. P. (2017). The last state to grant nurse practitioners DEA licensure: An education improvement initiative on the Florida prescription drug monitoring program. Journal of addictions nursing, 28(3), 135-142. doi: 10.1097/JAN.0000000000000177

U.S Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration. Diversion control division. Application for Registration Under Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (NewApplicants Only). Retrieved from https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/webforms/jsp/regapps/common/newAppLogin.jsp