NR565 Week 2: State Specific Guidelines for Prescribing Controlled Substances & Medical Devices

Student Name: State of Planned NP Clinical Practice: Florida

Guidelines and Recommendations for Florida

1. Organization, Group, or Task Force Name:

In Florida, the regulation and guidelines for prescribing controlled substances by Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are overseen by the Florida Board of Nursing’s Controlled Substance Formulary Committee. This committee is composed of seven members, including three APRNs recommended by the Board of Nursing, three physicians with experience working with APRNs recommended by the Board of Medicine, and one pharmacist with a Doctorate of Pharmacy recommended by the Board of Pharmacy. The committee is responsible for regulating the types and amounts of controlled substances that APRNs can prescribe, ensuring that the prescriptions align with the diagnosis and approved medical uses.

Source: Florida Board of Nursing. (2022). Controlled Substances Formulary Committee. Retrieved from https://floridasnursing.gov/controlled-substances-formulary-committee/

2. Overview of Florida’s Guideline Development:

The guidelines for controlled substances in Florida were developed in response to the growing opioid epidemic, aiming to create safer prescribing practices for pain management and other conditions requiring controlled substances. The Florida Department of Health plays a pivotal role in disseminating these guidelines through the Take Control of Controlled Substances website. This site serves as a centralized resource for healthcare providers across various disciplines, including Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Optometry, Osteopathic Medicine, Pharmacy, and Podiatric Medicine.

The website provides essential information on state and federal regulations, including links to the controlled substance bill, a list of approved scheduled substances, mandatory continuing education (CE) courses, webinars, and the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). The site is continuously updated to reflect the latest changes in laws and regulations affecting prescribers and dispensers in Florida.

Source: Florida Department of Health. (2022). Take Control of Controlled Substances. Retrieved from https://flhealthsource.gov/FloridaTakeControl/