PA requiring opioid education for CRNP prescriptive authority

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

OPIOID EDUCATION FOR CRNP PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY APPLICATIONS AND RENEWALS SUBMITTED AFTER JULY 1, 2017

Section 9.1(a) of ABC-MAP* requires that all prescribers or dispensers, as defined in Section 3 of ABC-MAP, applying for licensure/certification complete at least 4 hours of Board-approved education consisting of 2 hours in pain management or the identification of addiction and 2 hours in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids. Certified registered nurse practitioners (CRNPs) who hold prescriptive authority approval fall within ABC-MAP's definition of prescribers or dispensers.

Requirements for initial applicants and additional prescriptive authority approvals

CRNP applicants seeking prescriptive authority approval on or after July 1, 2017, must document, within one year from issuance of the prescriptive authority approval, that they completed this education either as part of a Board-approved CRNP Program, a stand-alone course from a Board-approved CRNP advanced pharmacology course provider, authorized by Section 21.283(b)(1) of the Board's regulations, or a continuing education course from a CRNP continuing education provider, listed in Section 21.334 (a) of the Board's regulations. The 4 hours of Board-approved education needs to be completed only once.

Where this education is part of the CRNP educational program, verification of completion from the Program may be included within the Verification of Nurse Practitioner Program. Where this education is part of a stand-alone Board-approved CRNP advanced pharmacology course authorized by Section 21.283(b)(1) of the Board's regulations, verification of completion from the CRNP advanced pharmacology provider may be included within the Verification of Advanced Pharmacology. Where the education is completed as stand-alone opioid education, verification of completion from a CRNP Program, a CRNP advanced pharmacology provider or a CRNP continuing education provider listed in Section 21.334 (a) of the Board's regulations, may be documented on the Verification of Opioid Education or on a Certificate of Completion that includes the name of the course, the specific number of hours in each of the required content areas and the date completed. The

Verification forms are available at:

Application Forms

Renewals

In order to renew a prescriptive authority approval for the next renewal period, Section 9.1(a)(2) of ABC-MAP requires that all CRNPs with prescriptive authority approval complete at least two hours of continuing education in pain management, the identification of addiction or in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids. The continuing education requirements of ABC-MAP will count towards the total number of hours of continuing education required for renewal. This two-hour requirement needs to be completed only once per renewal period regardless of the number of prescriptive authority approvals being renewed. This continuing education must be taken from a Board-approved CRNP continuing education provider listed in Section 21.334 (a) of the Board's regulations and its completion attested to when applying for renewal.

*The Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Program Act (ABC-MAP)(also known as Act 124 of 2016), 35 P.S. § 872.3, is available on the Legislature's website at:

2�16 Act 124 - PA General Assembly

Sections 21.283(b)(1) and 21.334 (a) of the Board's Regulations are available on the Board's website at: www.dos.pa.gov/nurse