Med Refills

[coughdrop.2.go, BSN, RN]

Hello, I'm wondering what other clinics do in terms of standard protocols regarding nursing staff doing med refills. For example, at my clinic, nurses will only refill if the medication was written by a current provider, the patient was seen within the last year, labs (if necessary) where done within the year, and it is not a controlled med/NSAID/psych med. Any other standard protocols out there?

[bugya90, ASN, BSN, LVN, RN]

That's pretty much what our protocol is. Licensed nurses can refill based on protocol. Been seen in last 12 months and have appropriate labs. Med must have been wrote by our office or have been noted in the last chart note. We only refill to last until they are due for next appt I.e. If they are due in July for appt and wants a med now I would only be able to send in 7 months worth of medicine.

[nursefromcali]

In our facility, we do refill the meds if the MDs told me so, I will look for the chart when was the last refill and what kind of meds patient is asking to refill. Controlled substance meds is different issue, they have to be see by a MD and paper prescription. I work here in Cali.

[OrthoRN79]

It's against the nurse practice act in my state for RNs to refill a medication without first consulting with the prescriber. So, I have to pass them by my boss or his PA first.