HB 341 passed the Senate today and has been forwarded to the Governor for signature. Once the Governor signs this bill it will go in effect 90 days later.
(1) Before initially prescribing the drug, the nurse or the nurse’s delegate shall request from the drug database a report of information related to the patient that covers at least the twelve months immediately preceding the date of the request. If the nurse practices primarily in a county of this state that adjoins another state, the nurse or delegate also shall request a report of any information available in the drug database that pertains to prescriptions issued or drugs furnished to the patient in the state adjoining that county.
(2) If the patient’s course of treatment for the condition continues for more than ninety days after the initial report is requested, the nurse or delegate shall make periodic requests for reports of information from the drug database until the course of treatment has ended. The requests shall be made at intervals not exceeding ninety days, determined according to the date the initial request was made. The request shall be made in the same manner provided in division (B)(1) of this section for requesting the initial report of information from the drug database.
(3) On receipt of a report under division (B)(1) or (2) of this section, the nurse shall assess the information in the report. The nurse shall document in the patient’s record that the report was received and the information was assessed.
This directive does not apply if in any of the following circumstances:
(1) A drug database report regarding the patient is not available, in which case the nurse shall document in the patient’s record the reason that the report is not available.
(2) The drug is prescribed in an amount indicated for a period not to exceed seven days.
(3) The drug is prescribed for the treatment of cancer or another condition associated with cancer.
(4) The drug is prescribed to a hospice patient in a hospice care program, as those terms are defined in section 3712.01 of the Revised Code, or any other patient diagnosed as terminally ill.
(5) The drug is prescribed for administration in a hospital, nursing home, or residential care facility.
(D) With respect to prescribing any drug that is not an opioid analgesic or a benzodiazepine but is included in the drug databasepursuant to rules adopted under section 4729.84 of the Revised Code, the board of nursing shall adopt rules that establish standards and procedures to be followed by an advanced practice registered nurse with a certificate to prescribe issued under section 4723.48 of the Revised Code regarding the review of patient information available through the drug database under division (A)(5) of section 4729.80 of the Revised Code. The rules shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
Mary Jane Maloney RN MSN CNP CWS
Director, Government relations
OAAPN