On January 4, 2017, Governor Kasich signed Ohio Substitute House Bill 216 into law.

Effective April 4, 2017, there will be new licensing criteria for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).  A new APRN license will replace the current “Certificate  of  Authority” and “Certificate  to Prescribe”.

The APRN license will also authorize a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), a Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP), and a Certified Nurse Specialist (CNS) to prescribe.  In order to obtain the new APRN license, CNPs, CNSs, and CNMs must have either a current Certificate to Prescribe or Certificate to Prescribe Externship, or have completed a 45-hour course in advanced pharmacology within five years of the application date.

Additional information is available from the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses here: http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.oaapn.org/resource/resmgr/hb_216/HB_216_Signed_Revised_-_Effe.pdf

A FAQ from the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses is here: https://oaapn.site-ym.com/page/HBFAQ

As always, if you have any questions about this post or the Ohio Board of Nursing, contact one of the attorneys at the Collis Law Group LLC at 614-486-3909 or go to our website at http://www.collislaw.com for more information.