Registered Nurse Prescribing Schedule 1 Drugs and Ordering Diagnostic Tests: Requirements and Standards

The Registered Nurse Prescribing Schedule 1 Drugs and Ordering Diagnostic Tests: Requirements and Standards are developed and approved as outlined in Section 133 of the Health Professions Act (HPA, 2000). registrants must also be aware of the Pharmacy and Drug Act (2000), the Scheduled Drugs Regulation (Alta Reg 66/2007), and the Protecting Canadians from Unsafe Drugs Act (2014). The Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation (Alta Reg 22/2023, s 60) authorizes registered nurses (RNs) to prescribe Schedule 1 drugs and order diagnostic tests. This authorization supports increased access to care, system efficiency, cost effectiveness, optimizes RNs’ scope of practice, and provides opportunities to develop innovative practice models. The purpose of this document is to outline the

•  requirements for authorization of an RN to prescribe Schedule 1 drugs and to order 
  diagnostic tests; and
•  standards of practice for an RN authorized to prescribe Schedule 1 drugs and to order 
  diagnostic tests.