NP Controlled Substance Prescribing Requirements (California)

🔑 Key Points

To legally prescribe or furnish controlled substances (Schedules II–V) under a supervising physician in California, a Nurse Practitioner must possess and maintain these four active credentials:

• Active RN & NP Licensure: Must hold valid, active California licenses for both Registered Nursing and Nurse Practitioner status.
   
• NP Furnishing Number: Issued by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), granting the foundational authority to order and furnish medications.
   
• Individual DEA Registration: An independent DEA number tied to the NP's California furnishing license (covering Schedules II–V). NPs cannot prescribe controlled substances under a supervising physician's DEA number.
   
• CURES (PDMP) Account: Active registration with California’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

⚠️ Mandate: The NP must query CURES prior to prescribing a Schedule II–IV controlled substance at every single visits

1️⃣ Steps Required   

To maintain clinical alignment and support oversight protocols for controlled substances (CS), BESA Health requires the following collaborative communication workflow:

1. Mandatory Notification for CS Prescribing: For every patient encounter where a Controlled Substance (CS) medication is newly prescribed, adjusted, or refilled, the prescribing Advanced Practice Provider (APP) must route a note comment or task notification directly to the Supervising Physician within the Electronic Health Record (EHR) on the same day as the encounter.
    
2. What to Include: The notification should briefly state the patient’s clinical status, confirmation of a completed Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) query, and the rationale for the CS prescription.
    
3. Oversight Compliance: This collaborative documentation ensures seamless clinical transparency, supports the Supervising Physician's oversight requirements, and maintains our commitment to patient safety and quality care.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please reach out to the Delegating Physician.