Skip to main content

Prescribing medications

Section 6: Restricted activities that do not require an order

6

(1)

(k)

in respect of a drug specified in Schedule I of the Drug Schedules Regulation,

 

 

 

(i)

prescribe the drug,

 

 

 

(ii)

compound the drug,

 

 

 

(iii)

dispense the drug, or

 

 

 

(iv)

administer the drug by any method;

 

 

 

for the purposes of

 

 

 

(v)

treating

 

 

 

 

(A)

anaphylaxis,

 

 

 

 

(B)

cardiac dysrhythmia,

 

 

 

 

(C)

opiate overdose,

 

 

 

 

(D)

respiratory distress in a known asthmatic,

 

 

 

 

(E)

hypoglycemia,

 

 

 

 

(F)

post-partum hemorrhage, or

 

 

 

 

(G)

conditions that are symptomatic of influenza-like illness, or

 

 

 

(vi)

preventing disease using immunoprophylactic agents and post-exposure chemoprophylactic agents

 

 

(l)

in respect of a drug specified in Schedule II of the Drug Schedules Regulation,

 

 

 

(i)

prescribe the drug,

 

 

 

(ii)

compound the drug,

 

 

 

(iii)

dispense the drug, or

 

 

 

(iv)

administer the drug by any method;

​ BCCNM Limits and Con​​ditions

Registered nurses only prescribe medications (to be dispensed by a pharmacist) when they​:

  • Are recognized by their organization/employer as a prescriber; AND
  • Have a BCCNM-assigned prescriber number

Non-certified practice registered nurses only prescribe medications when they meet the requirements to prescribe for the treatment of opioid use disorder. ​​‎

Registered nurse scope of practice limits and conditions for the diagnosis and treatment of opioid use disorder

These limits and conditions apply when registered nurses, within their autonomous scope of practice, diagnose and treat opioid use disorder by: 

  • Prescribing a medication for a client for the treatment of opioid use disorder,
  • Compounding a medication for a client for the treatment of opioid use disorder,
  • Dispensing a medication to a client for the treatment of opioid use disorder.
  • Administering a medication to a client for the treatment of opioid use disorder.

Registered nurses may only prescribe, compound, dispense, or administer controlled drugs and substances within their autonomous scope of practice for the purpose of treating opioid use disorder. 

Registered nurses who, within their autonomous scope of practice, diagnose and treat opioid use disorder must:​​​

  • Prescribe, compound, dispense, or administer only those medications identified by the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) for the treatment of opioid use disorder and as allowed by their employer.
  • Meet the employment requirements set out in the Order of the Provincial Health Officer: Registered Nurse and Registered Psychiatric Nurse Public Health Pharmacotherapy.
  • Be recognized by their organization/employer as a prescriber for the treatment of opioid use disorder.
  • Successfully complete

    a.

    additional education that includes basic prescribing competencies and the medication to be prescribed; and

    b.

    the additional education and preceptorship requirements established by the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) related to prescribing for the treatment of opioid use disorder. 

  • Follo​​​w the clinical guidelines and protocols established by BCCSU related to the diagnosis and treatment of opioid use disorder.

  • Prescribe for the treatment of opioid use disorder only when there are established policies and processes for: 

    a.

    the registered nurse to order or refer for diagnostic testing; 
    ​b.

    		 ​the review and follow-up of diagnostic testing results; and ​

    c.

    the registered nurse to consult with, refer to and/or transfer care to physician, nurse practitioner, or addiction specialist. 

  • Prescribe controlled drugs and substances in accordance with the British Columbia Controlled Prescription Program, including:

    a.

    Storing all controlled prescription pads and personalized prescription pads in a secure and locked area,

    b.

    Reporting all loss, theft or misuse of personalized prescription pads or controlled prescription pads to BCCNM, PharmaNet Support Services, the police, and, if any client information is contained on the missing pad, the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia,

    c.

    Returning controlled prescription pads to BCCNM if no longer practising in British Columbia, if licensure status changes to non-practising or inactive, information printed on the pad is not current, or BCCNM staff instruct that pads must be returned, and

    d.

    Storing the duplicate copy of a controlled prescription with the client health record, not   within the controlled prescription pad.

  • Have access to PharmaNet for documenting review of the client’s PharmaNet medication profile, medication reconciliation and prescription monitoring.
  • Diagnose and treat opioid used disorder within their autonomous scope of practice only while the Order of the Provincial Health Officer: Registered Nurse and Registered Psychiatric Nurse Public Health is in effect.

In addition, registered nurses who diagnose and treat opioid use disorder must comply with all other applicable BCCNM standards, limits and conditions that apply to the prescribing, dispensing, and administration of medications.

While the Order of the Provincial Health Officer is in place, it creates a temporary exception to the usual restriction against registered nurses prescribing Schedule I or Schedule IA drugs, or compounding, dispensing, or administering Schedule I or Schedule IA drugs without an order from an authorized health professional.


Next: Therapeutic diets >>​​