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Q&As: Regulations and by-law changes
On April 19, 2017, government approved regulations to expand NPs’ scope of practice to include prescribing controlled substances.
On March 8, Council approved by-law changes to enable the College to post and remove information about prescribing and managing controlled substances on an NP’s profile on the College’s public Register, Find a Nurse. This ensures that the public, employers, other health care providers and stakeholders can find out whether an NP is authorized to prescribe controlled substances.
The information that will be posted on an NP’s profile depends on:
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if they have met the education requirements as defined in the regulation
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if there is a Health Canada notice about the NP
The following are answers to questions you may have about the proposed regulation and by-law changes:
REGULATIONS
Can all NPs prescribe controlled substances?
Only NPs who have successfully completed College approved controlled substances education are authorized to prescribe controlled substances in Ontario. For more information about the education, read Q&As: Controlled Substances Education Requirement.
Are there any controlled substances that NPs can’t prescribe?
Yes, regulations under the federal law prohibit NPs from prescribing the following controlled substances:
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opium (such as opium and belladonna suppository)
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coca leaves (such as cocaine)
Can NPs prescribe methadone and diacetylmorphine?
On May 19, 2018, the Government of Canada made changes to the Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA) giving NPs to the authority to prescribe and administer methadone without an exemption. NPs also gained the authority to prescribe diacetylmorphine.
Only NPs who have successfully completed College approved controlled substances education are authorized to prescribe controlled substances in Ontario, this includes methadone and diacetylmorphine. Additional resources are also available to support NPs continuing competence and clinical decision making.
Activities associated with controlled substances are high risk. As with any other activity or procedure NPs engage in, they are expected to have the knowledge, skill and judgment to prescribe methadone and diacetylmorphine in a safe, competent and ethical manner. NPs are expected to understand the unique risks associated with prescribing any controlled substance and incorporate relevant evidence-informed strategies to mitigate these risks.
NPs are also expected to meet the accountabilities outlined in the Nurse Practitioner practice standard and ensure they have the competence to prescribe methadone and diacetylmorphine.
BY-LAWS
What are Health Canada notices?
The notice is a letter sent by Health Canada to inform pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies that they must not:
- sell or provide a controlled substance to a practitioner; and/or,
- fill a practitioner’s prescription for a controlled substance(s).
A practitioner is any health care provider with these authorities (e.g., physicians and NPs). The notice is also sent to the relevant regulator (e.g., The College of Nurses of Ontario).
There are several triggers for a Health Canada notice including, but not limited to, if the College requests it because the nurse practitioner breached a rule of conduct or is found guilty of a designated drug offence or an offence under the federal regulations. Details about the notice is posted to the NP's profile on Find a Nurse.
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