N677 Study Guide for the Controlled Substances Examination Questions Answered Correctly
Latest Update 2025-2026
Based on your research from your planned practice state, what drugs and devices can NPs
prescribe, furnish, or order? - Answers In California, NPs can prescribe, furnish, or order
Schedule II through Schedule V controlled substances. However, NPs must obtain a furnishing
license through the CA BRN and a DEA number through the United States Drug Enforcement
Administration before having furnishing authority to prescribe controlled substances. One of the
requirements for a furnishing license is that NPs must complete a BRN approved course for
Schedule II Controlled Substance
In your planned practice state, do you need to be supervised to prescribe? Yes or No? - Answers
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? - Answers 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? - Answers 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? - Answers 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? - Answers 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? - Answers 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 - Answers "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 solely regulated by state
boards of nursing and in accordance with the NP role, education and certification. The
authorization of NPs to prescribe legend and controlled medications, devices, health care
services, durable medical equipment and other equipment and supplies is essential to providing
timely, cost-effective, quality health care."
What are 3 common side effects from opioid medications? - Answers Constipation, drowsiness,
nausea, and vomiting, itching, respiratory depression, confusion
Can Nurse Practitioners furnish drugs or devices to family members or friends? - Answers An
NP, however, should never prescribe controlled substances for himself or herself or for family
members, as it is expressly illegal in many states.
Prescribing controlled substances and other legend drugs for self and family raises many
ethical questions. Prescribing for self and family member has inherent risks related to lack of
objectivity. Effort should be made to discuss the condition with the collaborating physician.
Even if it is not expressly illegal under many state laws to prescribe a controlled substance for a
family member, it is always inadvisable. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) numbers are
specific to a practice setting, so an NP who prescribes a controlled substance for a family
member who does not come to the practice setting may be violating 2 laws.
Certified NPs who hold active furnishing licenses and valid DEA registration numbers can
furnish/order controlled substances from what schedules? - Answers In CA,
The amended B&P Code Section 2836.1 extends the NPs' furnishing authority to include
Schedule II through V controlled substance furnished or ordered that can be considered the
same as an order initiated by the physician. The NP must obtain a DEA registration number to
furnish Schedule II through V.
Is physical dependence the same as addiction? - Answers Physical dependence to opioids
means that the body relies on an external source of opioids to prevent withdrawal. Physical
dependence is predictable, easily managed with medication, and is ultimately resolved with a
slow taper off of the opioid. Normally, the body can produce enough endogenous opioids
Latest Update 2025-2026
Based on your research from your planned practice state, what drugs and devices can NPs
prescribe, furnish, or order? - Answers In California, NPs can prescribe, furnish, or order
Schedule II through Schedule V controlled substances. However, NPs must obtain a furnishing
license through the CA BRN and a DEA number through the United States Drug Enforcement
Administration before having furnishing authority to prescribe controlled substances. One of the
requirements for a furnishing license is that NPs must complete a BRN approved course for
Schedule II Controlled Substance
In your planned practice state, do you need to be supervised to prescribe? Yes or No? - Answers
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? - Answers 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? - Answers 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? - Answers 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? - Answers 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? - Answers 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 - Answers "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 solely regulated by state
boards of nursing and in accordance with the NP role, education and certification. The
authorization of NPs to prescribe legend and controlled medications, devices, health care
services, durable medical equipment and other equipment and supplies is essential to providing
timely, cost-effective, quality health care."
What are 3 common side effects from opioid medications? - Answers Constipation, drowsiness,
nausea, and vomiting, itching, respiratory depression, confusion
Can Nurse Practitioners furnish drugs or devices to family members or friends? - Answers An
NP, however, should never prescribe controlled substances for himself or herself or for family
members, as it is expressly illegal in many states.
Prescribing controlled substances and other legend drugs for self and family raises many
ethical questions. Prescribing for self and family member has inherent risks related to lack of
objectivity. Effort should be made to discuss the condition with the collaborating physician.
Even if it is not expressly illegal under many state laws to prescribe a controlled substance for a
family member, it is always inadvisable. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) numbers are
specific to a practice setting, so an NP who prescribes a controlled substance for a family
member who does not come to the practice setting may be violating 2 laws.
Certified NPs who hold active furnishing licenses and valid DEA registration numbers can
furnish/order controlled substances from what schedules? - Answers In CA,
The amended B&P Code Section 2836.1 extends the NPs' furnishing authority to include
Schedule II through V controlled substance furnished or ordered that can be considered the
same as an order initiated by the physician. The NP must obtain a DEA registration number to
furnish Schedule II through V.
Is physical dependence the same as addiction? - Answers Physical dependence to opioids
means that the body relies on an external source of opioids to prevent withdrawal. Physical
dependence is predictable, easily managed with medication, and is ultimately resolved with a
slow taper off of the opioid. Normally, the body can produce enough endogenous opioids
