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Prescribing & DEA Roadmap

Louisiana Nurse Practitioner Prescriptive authority

Separate professional authority, state registration and federal DEA steps.

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Showing findings with official source evidence. Check the conditions for each requirement and confirm your circumstances with the board.

Use the boxes to track your preparation. Checking an item does not verify compliance.

Who may prescribe

  • An APRN may prescribe only as authorized by Louisiana law, and medical diagnosis and prescription must be in accordance with a collaborative practice agreement except as otherwise provided in R.S. 37:930.

    Applies when: For Louisiana APRNs/Nurse Practitioners.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. legis.la.gov ↗
      Except as otherwise provided in R.S. 37:930, acts of medical diagnosis and prescription by an advanced practice registered nurse shall be in accordance with a collaborative practice agreement
    2. 2. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      ## Louisiana State Board of Nursing **Advanced practice registered nurses** [APRN], also known as **nurse practitioners**, are licensed and regulated by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.

  • Louisiana pharmacy-board guidance says APRNs, also known as nurse practitioners, have legislative authority to prescribe controlled substances; the board page describes that authority as reflected in CDS license and DEA registration.

    Applies when: For Louisiana APRNs/NPs with controlled-substance credentials.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      They have been authorized by the legislature to prescribe controlled substances; that authorization is evident in their CDS license and DEA registration.
    2. 2. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      ## Louisiana State Board of Nursing **Advanced practice registered nurses** [APRN], also known as **nurse practitioners**, are licensed and regulated by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.

License and education prerequisites

  • An APRN is a licensed registered nurse who is certified by a nationally recognized certifying body and meets board-established APRN criteria.

    Applies when: For Louisiana APRNs/NPs.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. legis.la.gov ↗
      (1) "Advanced practice registered nurse" or "APRN" means a licensed registered nurse who is certified by a nationally recognized certifying body, such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center, as having an advanced nursing specialty as described in this Part and who meets the criteria for an advanced practice registered nurse as established by the board.

  • For the collaborative-practice exemption, the nurse practitioner must hold unencumbered, unrestricted, valid Louisiana RN and APRN licenses and not be subject to disciplinary proceedings.

    Applies when: Only for the statutory exemption cohort.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. legis.la.gov ↗
      | | SLS 22RS-433 | | | ORIGINAL | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | | | (1) Currently holds unencumbered, unrestricted, and valid registered | | | 2 | | nurse and advanced practice registered nurse licenses in this state and is not | | | | 3 | | subject to disciplinary proceedings for any of the grounds provided in R.S.
    2. 2. legis.la.gov ↗
      Each nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, and certified nurse | | | | 27 | | midwife who meets all of the following qualifications shall be exempt from any | | | | | | 28 | | requirement set forth in this Chapter to enter into a collaborative practice | | | | | | 29 | | agreement in order to perform advanced practice registered nursing: | | | | |

Collaboration and supervision

  • Collaborative practice is the joint management of a patient's health care by an APRN performing advanced practice registered nursing and one or more consulting physicians or dentists.

    Applies when: For Louisiana APRNs.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. legis.la.gov ↗
      (8) "Collaborative practice" means the joint management of the health care of a patient by an advanced practice registered nurse performing advanced practice registered nursing and one or more consulting physicians or dentists.
    2. 2. legis.la.gov ↗
      | | | | | | 7 | | | | | \* \* \* | | | 8 | | | | (8) "Collaborative practice" means the joint management of the health care | | | | 9 | | of a patient by an advanced practice registered nurse who is not exempted from the | | | | | | 10 | | requirement to enter into a collaborative practice agreement pursuant to R.S. | | | | | | 11 | | 37:941 and is performing advanced practice registered nursing and one or more | | | | | | 12 | | consulting physicians or dentists.

  • The collaborative practice agreement is a formal written statement mutually agreed upon by the APRN and one or more licensed physicians or dentists; it includes consultation or referral, management methods, and coverage during absences.

    Applies when: For Louisiana APRNs subject to collaborative practice.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. legis.la.gov ↗
      (9) "Collaborative practice agreement" means a formal written statement addressing the parameters of the collaborative practice which are mutually agreed upon by the advanced practice registered nurse and one or more licensed physicians or dentists which shall include but not be limited to the following provisions: (a) Availability of the collaborating physician or dentist for consultation or referral, or both. (b) Methods of management of the collaborative practice which
    2. 2. legis.la.gov ↗
      or dentist for consultation or referral, or both. (b) Methods of management of the collaborative practice which shall include clinical practice guidelines. (c) Coverage of the health care needs of a patient during any absence of the advanced practice registered nurse, physician, or dentist

  • Upon application, if the board determines all required qualifications are met, the nurse practitioner is not required to enter into a collaborative practice agreement to perform advanced practice registered nursing.

    Applies when: Only for the statutory exemption cohort.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. legis.la.gov ↗
      | | | | 12 | | | (2) Upon application of a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or | | | 13 | | certified nurse midwife, if the board determines that all qualifications required | | | | 14 | | by Subsection B of this Section have been met, the nurse practitioner, clinical | | | | 15 | | nurse specialist, or certified nurse midwife shall not be required to enter into a | | | | 16 | | collaborative practice agreement in order to perform advanced practice | | | | 17 |
    2. 2. legis.la.gov ↗
      to enter into a | | | | 16 | | collaborative practice agreement in order to perform advanced practice | | | | 17 | | registered nursing. | | | | 18 | | | (3)(a) The board shall issue to each nurse practitioner, clinical nurse | | | 19 | | specialist, and certified nurse midwife it deems to be qualified for the exemption | | | | 20 | | provided for in this Section a certificate which bears all of the following: | | | | 21 | | | (i) The name of the applicant. | | | 22 | | |

State controlled-substance authority

  • The Louisiana CDS application for practitioners is available online through the Online Services Portal, and APRNs must include a professional license copy plus the Limited Prescriptive and Distributive Authority for Controlled Substance letter.

    Applies when: For APRN CDS applicants.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      This application is available online through the Online Services Portal.
    2. 2. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      # Application Process Transparency - CDS License - Practitioners - Social security card - Legible copy of the professional license issued by the Louisiana primary licensing board. - APRNs and ODs must include a legible copy of their Limited Prescriptive and Distributive Authority for Controlled Substance letter from their professional licensing agency.

  • The APRN CDS license application fee is $45.00.

    Applies when: For APRN applicants submitting the online CDS application.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      # Application Process Transparency - CDS License - Practitioners **Fee:** To be paid with the submission of the online application. - APRN, DDS, DPM, INT, MD, MDT, MP, OD, PA, RNT - $45.00 - DVM - $20.00 **Application:** Application for New Louisiana Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) License for Practitioners.

  • The board page says CDS and DEA credentials in most cases include authority for Schedules III, III-N, IV, and V, and in some cases also Schedules II and/or II-N.

    Applies when: Board-page general statement, not an individual scope determination.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      In most cases, the CDS and DEA credentials include the authority to prescribe drugs in Schedules III, III-N, IV, and V.
    2. 2. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      In some cases, their credentials may also include the authority to prescribe drugs in Schedules II and/or II-N

Federal DEA requirements

  • The board page says that with a Louisiana CDS license, the practitioner may then apply to the U.S. DEA.

    Applies when: For Louisiana practitioners covered by that board page.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      With a Louisiana CDS license, the practitioner may then apply to the U.S

  • Louisiana pharmacy-board guidance says the controlled-substance authorization is evident in CDS license and DEA registration.

    Applies when: For Louisiana APRNs/NPs with controlled-substance authority.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      They have been authorized by the legislature to prescribe controlled substances; that authorization is evident in the Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) License issued to them by the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy.
    2. 2. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      They have been authorized by the legislature to prescribe controlled substances; that authorization is evident in their CDS license and DEA registration.

Fees and renewals

  • The APRN CDS license application fee is $45.00.

    Applies when: For APRN applicants.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      # Application Process Transparency - CDS License - Practitioners **Fee:** To be paid with the submission of the online application. - APRN, DDS, DPM, INT, MD, MDT, MP, OD, PA, RNT - $45.00 - DVM - $20.00 **Application:** Application for New Louisiana Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) License for Practitioners.

Applications and documents

  • The CDS application is available online through the Online Services Portal, and APRNs must include a professional license copy and the Limited Prescriptive and Distributive Authority for Controlled Substance letter.

    Applies when: For APRN CDS applicants.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      This application is available online through the Online Services Portal.
    2. 2. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      # Application Process Transparency - CDS License - Practitioners - Social security card - Legible copy of the professional license issued by the Louisiana primary licensing board. - APRNs and ODs must include a legible copy of their Limited Prescriptive and Distributive Authority for Controlled Substance letter from their professional licensing agency.

Authorities and sources

  • Louisiana APRNs, also known as nurse practitioners, are licensed and regulated by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.

    Applies when: For Louisiana APRNs/NPs.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      # Prescribers with Authority for Controlled Substances ## Louisiana State Board of Nursing **Advanced practice registered nurses** [APRN], also known as **nurse practitioners**, are licensed and regulated by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.
    2. 2. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      ## Louisiana State Board of Nursing **Advanced practice registered nurses** [APRN], also known as **nurse practitioners**, are licensed and regulated by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.

  • The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy page identifies APRN controlled-substance authority and the CDS application process for practitioners.

    Applies when: For Louisiana APRN controlled-substance authority and CDS licensing.

    Source evidence
    1. 1. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      They have been authorized by the legislature to prescribe controlled substances; that authorization is evident in the Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) License issued to them by the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy.
    2. 2. pharmacy.la.gov ↗
      This application is available online through the Online Services Portal.
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