CA Furnishing Number

[Corey Narry]

Has any of the NP's in this forum who lives outside of California ever applied for a California Furnishing Number? I already have a NP license in that state but still haven't applied for a "furnishing number". The requirements seem ridiculous coming from a state where NP's can immediately prescribe medications after being certified as long as they have a collaborative agreement with a physician.

It sounds like I need to submit copies of laws pertaining to NP prescribing in the state I'm endorsing my license from in addition to copies of collaborative agreement (makes sense!), standardized procedures (what the heck is that?), proof of having been supervised by a physician for at least 6 months, and proof of having completed a pharmacology course.

Makes me wonder if it's worth it to even apply from out of state or wait it out until I'm working in California, work with a physician for six months, and then apply.

[Dr. Tammy, FNP/GNP-C]

Hi!

Yes, I'm still having trouble. I just stumbled into this site today. What does "PM" mean? :)

I would love to hear your solution.

Thanks,

Maricel

OK, so now I'm getting multiple requests for info, so I'll spill the beans on my solution in the open.

In my spare time, I'm a Captain and chief medical officer in the California State Defense Forces (CSMR), 100th TCSB, MMD, a military department under the Governors office. The CSMR is an all volunteer organization of a little more than 1,000 soldiers and officers with a mission to support the California Army National Guard. We're volunteers in the sense that we only get paid when we are either activated for state emergencies or on certain missions. We don't go overseas and there is no contract. We come and go as we please, but we are a very dedicated group.

My idea: As a Nurse Practitioner with a NP cert you can join the CSMR with my unit, be automatically commissioned as an officer and receive Federal independent medical privileges from Madigan Army Hospital, WA, which is good on designated military bases throughout CA. If you join, you will be the third NP in the State of California with equivlaent independent medical practice privledges as that of a physician in the scope of your military duties. This is a no joke process and it takes approximately 12 weeks to be investigated and cleared for your independent practice privileges.

Under the civilian counterpart of SP's, you will enter into an SP with our physician medical director for those instances where there are not dispensaries on base where we have to access civilian pharmacies for sick call. These SP's are designed and crafted per the CA BRN. This is where the hours start accruing. During all time, you are under these SP's as well as your Madigan privileges.

You have to obtain 526 hours over a minimum of 6 months (going by memory here) to be eligible for your furnishing certificate. This starts the process in the context of weeks. In the mean time, if you pick up another opportunity under different SP's, this too will add to your hours.

We meet in Modesto the first weekend of each and every month and are assigned to the 184th infantry. Our mission in support is to provide sick call, routine H & P's, episodic care for routine problems, emergency care for troops training in the field, the provision of combat life support training to infantry and other combat arms soldiers prior to deployment, provide emergency training for their field medics, and provide yearly detailed H & P's for each troop, and do readiness profiles for those off and coming back from tours.

Additionally, we maintain a medical state of readiness to respond to state emergencies where disaster medical services are needed. Since we are under the California Military Code, we cannot be deployed anywhere out of California.

If you are interested, PM me and I'll set up some time for you to visit our unit. Our next drill is this weekend in Modesto, but because of the holidays, we are only doing Saturday. Our mission this weekend is Flu Shots, H & P's, sick call and setting up a suture class to train the new medics for January.

[nomadcrna, DNP, CRNA, NP]

I am so glad I practice in a state with total independence and full prescriptive authority.

[PNP1965]

If you are diagnosing and treating patients, you are practicing medicine.