[color=#231f20] the regulation defines "order" as an instruction or authorization for a specific client given by an authorized health professional to carry out (e.g., administer a schedule i medication). health professionals who are authorized to give orders to registered nurses are physicians, midwives, podiatrists, nurse practitioners and dentists. 12. rns, rpns, and lpns may not accept verbal or telephone orders from another nurse or other health care professional or be expected to transfer orders from a physician or np to another nurse or health care professional except in exceptional circumstances where it is in the interest of patient care to do so. 12.1 in the case of an exceptional circumstance, the signature and discipline of the person accepting the order, the signature and discipline of the person who spoke with the physician or np, and the physician or np's name shall be clearly legible (e.g. s. small rn/j. jones rn/dr. f. smith). 12.2 the physician or np shall countersign the order within 24 hours for acute care patients and on next physician or np visit for long term care patients. 13. other professional staff may receive a physician's or np's verbal or telephone order if the order relates to their specific discipline, as outlined in 13.1. 13.1 the following staff may receive verbal or telephone orders from a physician or np: - dietitians (medication orders as they relate to this discipline) - pharmacists (medication orders as they relate to this discipline) - respiratory therapists (medication orders for inhalation as they relate to this discipline). i prefer to follow the rules set forth by the board of nursing in regards to standards of practice in promoting client safety and applying the nursing process. we too deal with ltc facilities, but our physcians write out their orders on a continuity of care. whatever your institutions policy is, i am sure is appropriate with the law. i was just commenting on what our facility policy is and that is that a nurse takes an order from an individual with a license to prescribe. that information can be provided to another nurse, because it is an order that is in place, i.e. in nurse to nurse report, or report called to a ltc facility.