Standard Care Agreement
Purchase OAAPN’s Model SCA Template!
You can purchase this model template which you can follow to create your own personal Standard Care Arrangement.
The current model SCA template incorporates the telehealth which will go into effect March 23, 2022, as well as the EXCLUSIONARY formulary. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@oaapn.org.
Pricing:
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I need an SCA?
All CNPs, CNMs, and CNSs who are practicing in their role and providing patient care are required to have an SCA. NOTE: See Section “B” below if you are not practicing in your role or providing patient care.
I have completed my SCA – where does it need to be filed?
The SCA must be retained on file by your employer. You do not have to file your SCA with the OBON, but the OBON may request to review your SCA at any time.
My collaborating physician changed – What do I do now?
If an APRN needs to change collaborating physician information at the time of their license renewal, or any other time, they can submit this information through the Ohio eLicensing system at this link: https://elicense.ohio.gov/oh_communitieslogin. You will find an option to update your collaborating physician and upload the document in the menu at the end of your APRN license when accessing your account.
A: Collaborating Physician.
There is no rule on how to select the collaborating physician, so long as they are a physician or podiatrist licensed in Ohio, practicing in the same or a similar specialty as the APRN’s specialty. (ORC § 4723.431.) Sometimes, especially in a hospital setting, the employer will find a collaborating physician for the NP or have contracts with certain physicians who can serve as CPs (for example, the physician’s employment agreement requires them to collaborate with NPs or they are paid a stipend specifically for doing so). We would recommend that you ask your employer for suggestions, but outside of the basic qualifications, there is no legal requirements as to who it should be.
B: APRNs Not Practicing in their Role or Providing Patient Care.
We recently asked the Board of Nursing about whether CNSs who are not currently providing patient care or otherwise practicing as an APRN need to enter into a SCA. Their response was as follows:
A CNS is not required to have a collaborating physician if they are not providing patient care. Nurses (whether CNP, CNM, or CNS) who are not currently engaged in CNP, CNS, or CNM practice and do not currently have a collaborating physician or standard care arrangement, will need to indicate that information on the document that they upload when asked to list collaborating physician(s). If they are “between” practices/jobs, or retired but want to maintain the license, then they would say that on the document they upload — “I do not have a collaborating physician. I am not currently practicing.” Similarly, if they are teaching and are not engaged in practice (which would include supervising students’ practice), then they can state that.
At anytime that they decide to engage in practice, they would need to enter into a standard care arrangement with a qualified collaborating physician and notify the Board at that time.
At the time of online renewal they will upload a document with the collaborating physician information or a statement as to why there is no collaborating physician information. If a change occurs at any other (non-renewal) time, they will notify the Board of the collaborating physician’s name, license #, and practice contact information, by email (aprn@nursing.ohio.gov), fax (614-466-0388), or mail (Ohio Board of Nursing, 17 S. High Street, 4th floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215), as was previously the case.
C. Exclusionary Formulary.
The exclusionary formulary is available at link below:
http://nursing.ohio.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Exclusionary_Formulary5.3.pdf
It states that “A Certified Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Certified Nurse Midwife shall not prescribe any drug in violation of federal or Ohio law. The prescriptive authority of a Certified Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist or Certified Nurse Midwife shall not exceed the prescriptive authority of the collaborating physician or podiatrist.”
Under CURRENT Federal and Ohio regulations certified nurse practitioners, certified nurse specialists and certified nurse midwives may not prescribe the following drugs:
- All Schedule I Controlled Substances under the Federal Controlled Substances Act;
- All Schedule I Controlled Substances under Ohio Revised Code Section 3719.41;
- Medical Marijuana; and
- Abortifacients
All APRNs should discuss the impact of the new formulary on your practice with your collaborating physician or your institution.