1. (a) A CRNP with prescriptive authority approval may, when acting in collaboration with a physician as set forth in a prescriptive authority collaborative agreement and within the CRNP’s specialty, prescribe and dispense drugs and give written or oral orders for drugs and other medical therapeutic or corrective measures. These orders may include:

   1. (1) Orders for drugs, total parenteral nutrition and lipids, in accordance with § § 21.284 and 21.285 (relating to prescribing and dispensing parameters; and prescriptive authority collaborative agreements).
   2. (2) Disposables and devices adjunctive to a treatment plan.

2. (b) To obtain prescriptive authority approval, a CRNP shall:

   1. (1) Successfully complete at least 45 hours of course work specific to advanced pharmacology in accordance with the following:

      1. (i) The course work in advanced pharmacology may be either part of the CRNP education program or, if completed outside of the CRNP education program, an additional course or courses taken from an educational program or programs approved by the Board.
      2. (ii) The course work shall be at an advanced level above a pharmacology course required by a professional nursing (RN) education program.
      3. (iii) The course work shall have been completed within 5 years immediately preceding the date the applicant applies for initial prescriptive authority approval.
   2. (2) Submit an application for prescriptive authority approval to the Board.
   3. (3) Pay the fee set forth in § 21.253 (relating to fees).

   4. (4) Complete at least 2 hours of Board-approved education in pain management or the identification of addiction and 2 hours of Board-approved education in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids within 1 year of obtaining prescriptive authority approval. The following apply:

      1. (i) The education may be taken as part of a Board-approved CRNP program posted on the Board’s website under § 21.362(d) (relating to annual reports and compliance reviews; list of approved programs), a stand-alone course from a Board-approved CRNP advanced pharmacology course provider authorized under subsection (b)(1) or a continuing education course from a CRNP continuing education provider listed in § 21.334(a) (relating to sources of continuing education).
      2. (ii) This requirement only applies to CRNPs who hold a current Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration or utilize the DEA registration number of another person or entity, as permitted by law, to prescribe controlled substances in any manner.
3. (c) A CRNP who has prescriptive authority shall complete the continuing education set forth in § 21.331(c)(2) (relating to biennial renewal of certification) as a condition of biennial renewal.

Authority

The provisions of this § 21.283 issued under section 15(b) of the Medical Practice Act of 1985 (63 P.S. § 422.15(b)) (Repealed); amended under section 2.1(k) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 212.1(k)); section 9.1 of the Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Program (ABC-MAP) Act (35 P.S. § 872.9a); and sections 1—9 of the Safe Emergency Prescribing Act (35 P.S. § § 873.1—873.9).

Source

The provisions of this § 21.283 adopted November 17, 2000, effective November 18, 2000, 30 Pa.B. 5943; amended December 11, 2009, effective December 12, 2009, 39 Pa.B. 6994; amended October 31, 2025, effective November 1, 2025, 55 Pa.B. 7504. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (385208) and (396903).

Cross References

This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 21.253 (relating to fees); 49 Pa. Code § 21.285 (relating to prescriptive authority collaborative agreements); 49 Pa. Code § 21.332a (relating to inactive status and reactivation); and 49 Pa. Code § 21.369 (relating to general curriculum requirements).