2009 Rhode Island Code
Title 5 - Businesses and Professions
CHAPTER 5-34 - Nurses
§ 5-34-41 - Process for prescriptive privileges of psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialist.

SECTION 5-34-41

   § 5-34-41  Process for prescriptive privileges of psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialist. – (a) Prescriptive privileges for the psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialist:

   (1) Shall be granted under the governance and supervision of the division of professional regulations, board of nurse registration and nurse education; and

   (2) Shall include prescription of certain psychotropic and certain legend medications, controlled substances from Schedule II classified as stimulants, and controlled substances from Schedule IV, that are prescribed in regulations;

   (3) Shall not include controlled substances from Schedules I, II, III and V and those certain legend medications not included in subdivision (2) of this subsection; and

   (4) Shall be granted for psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialists who have a master's degree in nursing.

   (b) A psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialist as stated in § 5-34-3 shall be permitted to prescribe in accordance with annually updated guidelines, written in collaboration with the medical director or physician consultant of their individual establishments.

   (c) A psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialist in independent practice does not have prescriptive privileges.

   (d) To qualify for prescriptive privileges a psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialist, as stated in § 5-34-3, shall submit on forms provided by the board of nurse registration and nursing education, verified by oath, that the applicant has evidence of completion of thirty (30) hours of education in pharmacology of psychotropic drugs and certain legend medications within the three (3) year period immediately prior to date of application. To maintain prescriptive privileges the psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialist must submit upon request of the board of nurse registration and nursing education evidence of thirty (30) hours continuing education in pharmacology of psychotropic drugs every six (6) years.