Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and Prescriptive Authority

An Advanced Registered Practice Nurse (APRN) licensed in Kentucky must have a collaborative agreement for legend drugs (CAPA-NS) to prescribe legend drugs and a collaborative agreement for legend drugs for controlled substances (CAPA-CS) to prescribe controlled substances. See generally, Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) 314.042

While an APRN, CRNA is not required to enter into a collaborative agreement for prescriptive authority when delivering Anesthesia Care. See, KRS 314.042(12); see also, KRS 314.011(8)(b). The APRN is required to enter into a CAPA agreement when prescribing medications outside the parameters of delivering Anesthesia care.

Pain management and prescribing medications are within the scope of practice of a nurse anesthetist; however, pain management is broader than delivering anesthesia care. Like any other APRN, unless the CRNA has met the four (4) year prescribing requirement and either discontinued the CAPA-NS or applied for and been granted an exemption for the CAPA-CS, the CRNA is required to enter into a CAPA-NS to prescribe legend medications or a CAPA-CS to prescribe controlled substances for pain management.

For additional information and clarification please refer to the Legal Opinion “Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and Prescriptive Authority”