The highly-anticipated standard that will enable registered nurses in Australia to prescribe comes into effect today.

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) has published the Registration standard: Endorsement for scheduled medicines – designated registered nurse prescriber (the standard) and supporting guidelines for RNs who want to become prescribers.

The NMBA has been developing a designated RN prescribing model since 2016. In December last year, Health Ministers approved the new standard, paving the way for suitably qualified registered nurses to prescribe Schedule 2, 3, 4 and 8 medicines in partnership with an authorised health practitioner who is an independent prescriber, such as a nurse practitioner or doctor.

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