State Specific Guidelines for Prescribing Controlled Substances & Medical Devices

Preparing the Assignment

The State Specific Guidelines for Prescribing Controlled Substances & Medical Devices assignment is worth 125 points and will be graded on the quality of required components as summarized in the directions and grading criteria/rubric.

Follow the directions and the grading criteria located in the rubric closely. Any questions about this assignment may be posted under the Q & A Forum or emailed to your faculty.

1. The document provided should be used and your answers provided within the table provided on this document Links to an external site..

Sources/links should be obtained directly from the state’s regulatory organization(s).

1. It is recommended that you keep a copy of this assignment to provide to potential employers or your Board of Nursing to demonstrate your knowledge of your state laws.
2. Requirements:

Guidelines and recommendations for your state:
In response to the opioid epidemic, individual states have developed and adopted voluntary guidelines or recommendations for the treatment of acute and chronic non-cancer pain. Based on research done on the state where you will practice clinically, include the following: 

Provide the name of your practicing state’s organization, group or task force that created guidelines or recommendations for pain management therapies and education.

Briefly describe an overview of its development and include a web address where this information can be found. If your state does not have guidelines, discuss a federal guideline. (Note: you may need to contact your state’s board of nursing, pharmacy, or medicine if you cannot locate it on your own).

Some states have multiple organizations or initiatives (ex: Ohio) in place to combat the opioid epidemic and advocate for safer opioid prescribing. Explore whether your state has other resources, groups or organizations where prescribers can reference best practices for pain management treatment. If applicable, provide a brief overview of the group’s recommendations or initiatives. If your state does not have another state-specific resource, discuss the guidelines published by the American Pain Society OR Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

1. Discuss when the use of opioids is appropriate and for what duration should they be prescribed? Provide a reference for your response. (This question is worth 13 points. 5 points for when opioids are appropriate, 5 points for a safe duration of use, and 3 points for a current edition APA formatted reference.)
2. State specific laws on controlled substance prescribing for the nurse practitioner:
   Research your state laws on advanced practice nurses’ authority to prescribe controlled substances. Based on research done on the state where you will practice clinically, include the following: 

Identify the law, rule, code, or statute that describes the advanced practice nurse’s authority to prescribe controlled substances in your state.

Discuss the provisions of the law, rule, code, or statute with regard to the following: 

1. Conditions or limits on prescribing schedule I-V controlled substances.

Requirements (if any) in documentation for treating acute and chronic pain.

Are there specific requirements for advanced practice nurses to reference the state’s prescription drug monitoring database before prescribing a controlled substance? If so, what are they?

State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP):
Research your state’s PDMP* and provide the following information: 

1. Name of the state’s program.
2. Website for the state PMDP.
3. Discuss the registration requirements and process.
4. Discuss the standards and procedures for the access and review of database information.
5. State specific laws on medical devices prescribing for the nurse practitioner:
   Research your state laws on advanced practice nurses’ authority to prescribe medical devices.  These are also called Durable Medical Equipment (DME). Based on research done on the state where you will practice clinically, include the following: 

Identify the law, rule, code, or statute that describes the advanced practice nurse’s authority to prescribe medical devices or DME in your state.

Discuss the provisions of the law, rule, code, or statute regarding the following: 

Conditions or limits on prescribing medical devices or DME.

1. Requirements (if any) in documentation needed to support order of medical devices or DME.
2. Rubric

State specific guidelines and recommendations (35%):

1. QUESTIONPointsProvide the name of your practicing state’s organization, group or task force that created guidelines or recommendations for pain management therapies and education.5Where you found this information (weblink): 5Overview of your state’s guideline development with web address. 6Locate federal guidelines and provide a link to federal guidelines you could use in practice as a NP6Provide a brief overview of the group’s recommendations or initiatives (provide link to where you found information).6Provide a brief overview of the guidelines published by the American Pain Society OR Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (provide link to where you found information).6Discuss when the use of opioids is appropriate and for what duration should they be prescribed? Provide a reference for your response. (This question is worth 10 points. 4 points for when opioids are appropriate, 4 points for a safe duration of use, and 2 points for a current edition APA formatted reference.)10Total44
2. State specific laws on controlled substance prescribing for the nurse practitioner (28%):
3. QUESTIONPointsIdentify the law, rule, code, or statute that describes the advanced practice nurse’s authority to prescribe controlled substances in your state. Link to where you found law, rule, code, or statute for your state.5What does the law, rule, code, or statute say?6Conditions or limits on prescribing schedule I-V controlled substances.6Requirements (if any) in documentation for treating acute and chronic pain. If your state has no requirements for this, confirm with a link of where you found this information. 6Are there specific requirements for advanced practice nurses to reference the state’s prescription drug monitoring database before prescribing a controlled substance? Yes or No6If yes, what are they? If not, how would they be helpful?6Total35
4. State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) (19%):

QUESTIONPointsName of the state’s program.6Website for the state PMDP.6Discuss the registration requirements and process.6Discuss the standards and procedures for the access and review of database information.6Total24

State specific laws on medical devices prescribing for the nurse practitioner (18%):

QUESTIONPointsLink to where you found law, rule, code, or statute for your state regarding prescribing DME in your state.5What does the law, rule, code, or statute say regarding prescribing DME in your state?6Conditions or limits on prescribing medical devices or DME.6Requirements (if any) in documentation needed to support order of medical devices or DME.5Total22