In British Columbia, registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs) can dispense or give client-specific orders for medications. Only RPNs with certified practice are authorized to prescribe.
What's the difference?
- Dispensing
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An RPN dispenses when they prepare and give medication for a client to take later. Before dispensing, the nurse must take steps to ensure the pharmaceutical and therapeutic suitability of the medication for its intended use and to ensure its proper use.
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RPNs can only dispense Schedule II medications and a very limited number of Schedule I. medications, with or without the involvement of a pharmacist.
- When dispensing medications, no prescription is provided to the client.
- Giving a client-specific order
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An RPN gives a client-specific order when they issue an instruction or authorization — not a prescription — for another regulated health professional to carry out restricted or non-restricted activities for a client. This could include giving instruction for a medication-related activity, such as compounding, dispensing, or administering, to be acted on by another nurse (not a pharmacist).
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RPNs can only give client-specific orders for Schedule II medications and a very limited number of Schedule I medications, and only when they meet the requirements for acting within autonomous scope of practice.
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Only RPNs with certified practice in opioid use disorder may give a client-specific order for Schedule IA medications.
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When giving a client-specific order, no prescription is provided to the client.
- Prescribing
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Only RPNs with certified practice [RPN(C)s] can be authorized to prescribe. An RPN (C) prescribes when they issue a prescription for a
pharmacist to dispense a specified medication for use by a client.
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RPNs with certified practice in opioid use disorder are automatically authorized to prescribe.
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All other RPN(C)s must complete approved education and apply for prescribing authority.
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RPN (C)s are only authorized to prescribe medications outlined in the decision support tools for their certified practice designation.
- Prescribing controlled drugs and substances
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Only RPNs with certified practice in opioid use disorder can prescribe Schedule IA medications.
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When prescribing controlled drugs and substances, RPN(C)s in opioid use disorder must use
Controlled Prescription Program duplicate prescription pads or EMR printer-friendly sheets issued by BCCNM.
Applying for prescribing authority
RPNs with certified practice in opioid use disorder are automatically authorized to prescribe.
Learn more»
Decision support tools and drug schedules
- Opioid Use Disorder
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Preventing fraud and misuse
The BCCNM Controlled Prescription Program reduces the likelihood of inappropriate prescribing and/or prescription forgeries by requiring that prescriptions for controlled drugs be written on a specific duplicate prescription pad. Learn more about the program or order prescription pads.
Related standards, responsibilities, and accountabilities
Scope of Practice standards
Practice standards
Responsibilities and accountabilities
- Opioid use disorder prescribing — consulting and referring
Learning resources