"Quick Care" prescriptive restrictions

Specialties NP

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Specializes in 25 yrs flight and ER experience.

Would love input from NPs on this issue.

Several "Quick Care" programs (Minute Clinic, Little Clinic, etc) have been aggressively pursuing FNPs in our area. They will not allow NPs to prescribe any Scheduled Drugs, yet, require the NP to have a DEA license. Is this the practice every where? Is this reasonable?

Just curious. Thanks.

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Would love input from NPs on this issue.

Several "Quick Care" programs (Minute Clinic, Little Clinic, etc) have been aggressively pursuing FNPs in our area. They will not allow NPs to prescribe any Scheduled Drugs, yet, require the NP to have a DEA license. Is this the practice every where? Is this reasonable?

Just curious. Thanks.

It depends on the area, but some drugstores will refuse to fill a prescription without a DEA (not what the law says but usually not worth arguing about). I haven't seen their guidelines but the descriptions of others state that its algorithm driven. You really don't have much choice in what you prescribe. That being said, I have a hard time believing that they would not allow cough syrup with codiene for a bad cough.

David Carpenter, PA-C

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Specializes in 25 yrs flight and ER experience.

Thanks for the reply. I asked them about cough syrup and they said No. Maybe it's regional.

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Would love input from NPs on this issue.

Several "Quick Care" programs (Minute Clinic, Little Clinic, etc) have been aggressively pursuing FNPs in our area. They will not allow NPs to prescribe any Scheduled Drugs, yet, require the NP to have a DEA license. Is this the practice every where? Is this reasonable?

Just curious. Thanks.

Reasonable, especially if they cover the cost of the DEA.

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I work in retail clinic and we keep controlled very limited ultram, hydrocodone, codeine, and no more than 20 and no coming back for refills, referred to a pcp if needs any more meds. I dont think you would want any more because I use our policy to keep away drug seekers. No chronic med refills either. If they pay for your DEA get it. Its expensive and if you change jobs you will still have it for 3 years

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It depends on the area, but some drugstores will refuse to fill a prescription without a DEA (not what the law says but usually not worth arguing about). I haven't seen their guidelines but the descriptions of others state that its algorithm driven. You really don't have much choice in what you prescribe. That being said, I have a hard time believing that they would not allow cough syrup with codiene for a bad cough.

David Carpenter, PA-C

I live in Missouri and NP's cannot write for controlled substances. I know an NP that just got put on probation for writing a cough syrup with codeine RX. She did'nt even do it on purpose. It's just what she was used to seeing and wasn't thinking and inadvertently wrote it.

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