Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice Laws
This data is presented as an interactive tool that allows users to: filter by timeframe/year, select specific data columns (distributions), filter by state or geography, and view the data as a table, map, or trend chart.
As of October 20, 2023
| Location | Full Reduced Restricted | Medical-Staff Membership | Autonomous Practice | Primary-Care Provider | Independent Prescribing of Schedule II Drugs | Order Physical Therapy | Sign Death Certificate | Sign Disabled Person Place Card Forms | Sign Workers Comp Claims |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Reduced (collaborative agreement) | If the governing authority allows it, providers besides doctors of medicine or osteopathy can be part of medical staffs in Alabama. | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | To prescribe, administer, authorize for administration a Schedule III, IV, or V controlled substance in Alabama, Certified Nurse Practitioners must obtain annually a Qualified Alabama Controlled Substances Certificate (QACSC). | Yes | Yes | Yes | NPs are not explicitly authorized to sign POLST forms. |
| Alaska | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | Yes | Yes | Yes | Alaska requires the physician to authorize an NP’s signing, and to certify the death certificate within 24 hours. | Yes | Yes |
| Arizona | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | Yes | NPs may prescribe and dispense drugs depending on the population area on which they focus and their certification. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Arizona is not currently participating in the POLST initiative. |
| Arkansas | Reduced (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | NP prescriptive authority for Schedule II controlled substances is limited to hydrocodone combination products and opioids and stimulants under specific requirements. | Yes | Only hospice-employed NPs can sign death certificates. | Yes | No |
| California | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | Yes | Nurse practitioners can make referrals for physical therapy depending on the specifications of their collaborative relationship. | No | Yes | Yes |
| Colorado | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | Yes | NPs may prescribe drugs in Colorado as long as they've completed three years of clinical experience, they are on an advanced-practice registry, and there is a plan for responsible prescribing that's been signed and reviewed by their mentor. An NP's ability to prescribe also depends on their population and focus. | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Connecticut | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | Yes | NPs in Connecticut may prescribe depending on their relationship with the collaborating physician. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Delaware | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | NPs in Delaware must complete a minimum of 30 hours in an advanced pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics within the last two years. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| District of Columbia | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Florida | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | NPs in Florida may only prescribe certain drugs as specified in a protocol. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Florida is not currently participating in the POLST initiative. |
| Georgia | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Medical staff must review new credentialing applicants for their medical staff. | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | NPs in Georgia may not prescribe Schedule II controlled substances. | State law doesn't specify whether NPs can make referrals for physical therapy. | Nurse practitioners can sign death certificates under the authority of their collaborating physician. | No | NPs may not sign Georgia's POLST form in certain situations. |
| Hawaii | Full | State law doesn't specify Hawaii's requirements for medical staff composition. | Full | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Idaho | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | Yes | NPs in Idaho must complete an advanced pharmacology CE requirement for 10 hours every two years. An NP's ability to prescribe certain drugs also depends on their specialty. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Illinois | Reduced (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | An NP's ability to prescribe certain drugs in Illinois depends on their relationship with the collaborating physician and their completion of a pharmacology course. NPs may only prescribe schedule II drugs in a 30-day amount. | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Indiana | Reduced (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | NPs may prescribe certain drugs based on their relationship with the collaborating physician and their completion of a specified number of course hours in pharmacology. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Iowa | Full | Iowa hospitals won't deny an NP membership to their medical staff depending on their license or the school they attended. | Full | Yes | Depending on their specialty, Iowa NPs may prescribe controlled substances with a Board of Pharmacy Examiners registration. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kansas | Full | Yes | Full | Yes | Nurse Practitioners Can Prescribe, Administer, Dispense, and Procure Schedule II Drugs (pursuant to collaborative agreement with prescriber) | Yes | No | Yes | Kansas is not currently participating in the POLST initiative. |
| Kentucky | Reduced (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | An NP's ability to prescribe certain drugs in Kentucky depends on their relationship with the collaborating physician. With a KASPER account, NPs may prescribe controlled drugs in 30-day amounts. | State law doesn't specify whether NPs can make referrals for physical therapy. | Yes | Yes | No |
| Louisiana | Reduced (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | NPs can't prescribe schedule II controlled substances for chronic pain, intractable pain, or obesity. | Yes | No | Yes | Louisiana's POST form must be signed by a physician. |
| Maine | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | Yes | Depending on their specialty, NPs may prescribe certain drugs after completing a pharmacology course or after a certain amount of prescribing experience. NPs in Maine may also certify patients for medical marijuana. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maryland | Full | State law doesn't specify Maryland's requirements for medical staff composition. | Full | Yes | NPs may prescribe legend drugs with a certification to practice as a CRNP. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Full | Yes | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | With the authorization of practice guidelines written with the collaborating physician, NPs may prescribe certain drugs after completing pharmacology education. Amounts and refills will be limited. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Michigan | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | NPs may be selected by the board of trustees and subsidiary board for acceptance to a medical staff. | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | NPs can prescribe certain drugs under the authority of their collaborating physician. NPs may only prescribe a limited amount of schedule II drugs in hospitals. | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Minnesota | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | Yes | NPs may prescribe certain drugs depending on their relationship with the collaborating physician. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mississippi | Reduced (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | NPs may apply for controlled substance prescription authority after practicing for a specified number of monitored hours by the BON. | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Missouri | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | No | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | NPs in Missouri are only authorized to prescribe hydrocodone combination products. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Missouri doesn't currently participate in the POLST initiative. |
| Montana | Full | Yes | Full | Yes | NPs in Montana may prescribe certain drugs after completing an advanced pharmacology course. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nebraska | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | NPs in Nebraska may prescribe certain drugs after a pharmacotherapeutics course. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Nebraska does not currently have a POLST program. |
| Nevada | Full | Yes | Full | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | Depending on a protocol developed with their collaborating physician, NPs in Nevada may prescribe certain drugs after completing a course in advanced pharmacotherapeutics. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Hampshire | Full | State law doesn't specify whether NPs can join medical staffs in New Hampshire. | Full | Yes | NPs may prescribe certain drugs after completing an educational requirement. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Jersey | Reduced (collaborative agreement) | NPs may be accepted to medical staffs in New Jersey based on the same requirements that authorize the acceptance of physicians. | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | NPs may prescribe certain drugs after completing a pharmacology course. | Yes | New Jersey only authorizes NPs to sign death certificates for patients for whom they were the primary care provider, if no collaborating physician is available. | Yes | Yes |
| New Mexico | Full | Yes | Full | Yes | NPs may prescribe certain drugs after verification and a specified number of hours of work experience. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New York | Full | Yes | Full | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| North Carolina | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | Depending on their education and certification, NPs may prescribe limited amounts of legend drugs and controlled substances. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| North Dakota | Full | Yes | Full | Yes | NPs may prescribe certain drugs after completing an educational requirement in pharmacotherapy, physical assessment, and pathophysiology. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ohio | Reduced (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | NPs are not authorized to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances in convenience care clinics. | Yes | No | Yes | Ohio isn't currently participating in the POLST initiative. |
| Oklahoma | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | NPs are currently not authorized to hold Schedule II controlled substance prescriptive authority. | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Oregon | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | Yes | Depending on their scope of practice, NPs may prescribe certain drugs after completing a specified number of hours of pharmacology education. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | Reduced (collaborative agreement) | No | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | NPs may prescribe certain drugs depending on their relationship with the collaborating physician and their specialty. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rhode Island | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | Yes | NPs may be certified to prescribe schedule II controlled substances. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| South Carolina | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State law doesn't specify whether NPs can join medical staffs in South Carolina. | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | NPs may prescribe certain drugs as long as they sign the prescription and provide their BON-assigned prescriptive authority number, where they practice, and the collaborating physician's information. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| South Dakota | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | NPs may prescribe a limited amount of controlled substances under certain situations. | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Tennessee | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | No | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | NPs may prescribe a limited amount of schedule II drugs with preauthorization. | State law doesn't specify whether NPs can make referrals for physical therapy. | No | Yes | Yes |
| Texas | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | NPs are considered by law to be primary care providers in certain situations. | NP Schedule II prescriptive authority is authorized in select settings and practice types. | Yes | NPs can sign death certificates in certain circumstances. | Yes | Yes |
| Utah | Full | Yes | Full | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vermont | Full | Yes | Full | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | NPs may prescribe certain drugs after completing an educational requirement in advanced pharmacotherapeutics. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Virginia | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | NPs may prescribe certain drugs after completing an educational requirement in pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics and after telling the patient they're an NP. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Washington | Full | Yes | Full | Yes | NPs may prescribe certain drugs after a specified number of hours of experience and pharmacotherapeutics education. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| West Virginia | Reduced (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | Yes | NPs are not authorized to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wisconsin | Reduced (collaborative agreement) | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Restricted (collaborative agreement) | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | Depending on their area of practice, NPs in Wisconsin may prescribe certain drugs after completing an educational requirement in pharmacology or therapeutics. | Yes | No | Yes | The POLST program in Wisconsin is still under development. |
| Wyoming | Full | Determined by facility bylaws or governing body | Full | State statute and/or Administrative Code does not define whether nurse practitioners can be primary care providers. | Wyoming has an educational requirement in pharmacology and clinical pharmacotherapeutics. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |