ARNP Practice

Numerous inquiries have been received in the KBN office regarding a variety of issues surrounding advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) practice.  These questions have been addressed in the information provided here.

The 2000 Regular Session of the General Assembly amended KRS Chapter 314 to allow advanced registered nurse practitioners to receive and dispense sample drugs.  The applicable statutes are as follows:

KRS 314.011(8) states, in part: "‘Advanced registered nursing practice’ means the performance of additional acts . . . Advanced registered nurse practitioners who engage in these additional acts shall be authorized to issue prescriptions for and dispense nonscheduled legend drugs as defined in KRS 217.905, ...under the conditions set forth in KRS 314.042."

KRS 314.011(17) states: " ‘Dispense’ means to receive and distribute noncontrolled legend drug samples from pharmaceutical manufacturers to patients at no charge to the patient or any other party."

KRS 314.042(8) states: "Before an advanced registered nurse practitioner engages in the prescribing or dispensing of nonscheduled legend drugs as authorized by KRS 314.011(8), the advanced registered nurse practitioner shall enter into a written collaborative agreement for the ARNP's prescriptive authority for nonscheduled legend drugs (CAPA-NS) with a physician that defines the scope of the prescriptive authority for nonscheduled legend drugs." 

The 2006 Regular Session of the General Assembly amended KRS Chapter 314 to give ARNPs limited authority to write prescriptions for controlled substances, but did not permit an ARNP to receive and distribute, nor dispense, controlled substance samples.