N677 CERTIFICATION GUIDE 2026 VERIFIED
ANSWERS READY
⩥ In your planned practice state, do you need to be supervised to
prescribe? Yes or No? Answer: In California, NPs require physician
supervision for prescriptive authority.
⩥ If applicable in your state, what is the "physician supervision"
description and requirements for the NP's ability to prescribe, furnish
or order? Answer: Nurse practitioners and supervising physicians will
need to establish a standardized protocols for what drugs and devices,
including controlled substances, that nurse practitioners can prescribe
to patients. This collaboration takes into account the competency of
the practitioners, the scope of practice, and the current standardized
protocols. Physicians do not need to be physically present, but
supervising physicians should be available for consultation if needed
during patient encounter
⩥ What are the requirements of furnishing (prescribing) controlled
substances in your planned practice state? Answer: In California,
nurse practitioners are required to have a furnishing license from the
Board of Registered Nursing and a DEA number to prescribed
controlled substances. Nurse practitioners must complete an approved
course about Schedule II controlled substances in order to apply for a
furnishing license from the BRN and a DEA number. With both
furnishing license and DEA number, NPs can prescribe controlled
substances, Schedule II to V.
, ⩥ Are there any limitations or guidelines about or of controlled
substances mentioned in your state's practice regulations for NP's? If
so, what are those limitations? Answer: The only limitations are the
ones set by the supervising physicians in the standardized protocols
⩥ What is the NP required to do if allowed to distribute
pharmaceutical samples in your state? Is there a specific procedure
your state requires you to follow? Answer: In California, certified
furnishing NPs are allowed to request, accept, and distribute
pharmaceutical samples as long as it is within the specifications of the
standardized protocols that are agreed upon with the supervising
physicians. Nurse practitioners must have a protocol for patient
follow-up if they are prescribing pharmaceutical samples to their
patients (General Information: Nurse Practitioner
⩥ What does the licensing body in your state say about the NP
offering patient education related to prescribing drugs, if anything?
Answer: California Board of Registered Nursing states that
appropriate education about the drugs must be provided to patient
before furnishing the drugs (Criteria for furnishing number, n.d.).
Patient education includes the purpose of the drugs, expected side
effects, and adverse effects of the drugs. Nurse practitioners should
provide information on the treatment plans including laboratory
studies and follow ups.
⩥ Nurse Practitioner Prescriptive Authority Answer: "The American
Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) recognizes that the
scope and practice of a nurse practitioner (NP) includes prescribing.
Prescribing is not a distinct act outside of or differentiated from NP
practice. It is the position of AANP that NP prescriptive authority be
ANSWERS READY
⩥ In your planned practice state, do you need to be supervised to
prescribe? Yes or No? Answer: In California, NPs require physician
supervision for prescriptive authority.
⩥ If applicable in your state, what is the "physician supervision"
description and requirements for the NP's ability to prescribe, furnish
or order? Answer: Nurse practitioners and supervising physicians will
need to establish a standardized protocols for what drugs and devices,
including controlled substances, that nurse practitioners can prescribe
to patients. This collaboration takes into account the competency of
the practitioners, the scope of practice, and the current standardized
protocols. Physicians do not need to be physically present, but
supervising physicians should be available for consultation if needed
during patient encounter
⩥ What are the requirements of furnishing (prescribing) controlled
substances in your planned practice state? Answer: In California,
nurse practitioners are required to have a furnishing license from the
Board of Registered Nursing and a DEA number to prescribed
controlled substances. Nurse practitioners must complete an approved
course about Schedule II controlled substances in order to apply for a
furnishing license from the BRN and a DEA number. With both
furnishing license and DEA number, NPs can prescribe controlled
substances, Schedule II to V.
, ⩥ Are there any limitations or guidelines about or of controlled
substances mentioned in your state's practice regulations for NP's? If
so, what are those limitations? Answer: The only limitations are the
ones set by the supervising physicians in the standardized protocols
⩥ What is the NP required to do if allowed to distribute
pharmaceutical samples in your state? Is there a specific procedure
your state requires you to follow? Answer: In California, certified
furnishing NPs are allowed to request, accept, and distribute
pharmaceutical samples as long as it is within the specifications of the
standardized protocols that are agreed upon with the supervising
physicians. Nurse practitioners must have a protocol for patient
follow-up if they are prescribing pharmaceutical samples to their
patients (General Information: Nurse Practitioner
⩥ What does the licensing body in your state say about the NP
offering patient education related to prescribing drugs, if anything?
Answer: California Board of Registered Nursing states that
appropriate education about the drugs must be provided to patient
before furnishing the drugs (Criteria for furnishing number, n.d.).
Patient education includes the purpose of the drugs, expected side
effects, and adverse effects of the drugs. Nurse practitioners should
provide information on the treatment plans including laboratory
studies and follow ups.
⩥ Nurse Practitioner Prescriptive Authority Answer: "The American
Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) recognizes that the
scope and practice of a nurse practitioner (NP) includes prescribing.
Prescribing is not a distinct act outside of or differentiated from NP
practice. It is the position of AANP that NP prescriptive authority be
