Regulations Grant Prescriptive Authority to Nurse Midwives
Proposed regulations from the State Board of Medicine would allow nurse midwives to prescribe drugs. The regulations do not expand the midwives’ scope of practice beyond the intent of the law and are consistent with current law, the Pennsylvania Medical Society said in comments submitted to the Medical Board.
The law, which was passed last year, grants prescriptive authority—with some limitations—to nurse midwives working in collaboration with physicians who have hospital privileges in the specialty area covered by their collaborative agreement.
The nurse midwife also must:
- Earn a master’s degree or equivalent
- Receive national certification
- Complete 45 hours of advanced pharmacology coursework
- Complete 16 hours of continuing education in pharmacology every two years
The law also allows nurse midwives to prescribe, order, and dispense medications, and administer medical devices, immunizing agents, laboratory tests, and therapeutic, diagnostic, and preventive measures.
The State Society suggested several changes to the regulations, including a requirement that midwives be a licensed Pennsylvania nurses, that they work in collaboration with a licensed physician, and that the definition of collaboration include:
- Immediate availability of the collaborating physician through direct communication or by radio, telephone, or telecommunications;
- A predetermined plan for emergency services; and
- Availability of the physician on a regularly scheduled basis for referrals, consultations, chart reviews, etc.
The State Society also recommended that midwives complete 45 hours of advanced pharmacology coursework two years prior to application for a collaborative agreement.
Last Updated: 3/12/2008