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Explaining the new Opioid Prescribing Guidelines CE requirement

Posted over 6 years ago by Nancy Lawton

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Implementation of the new Opioid Prescribing Guidelines WAC 246-840-4655 requires an ARNP complete four hours in opioid prescribing best practices and has at least a full two year cycle to complete the requirement. The WAC does not exclude education completed on opioid prescribing best practices done prior to January 1, 2019, but instead includes a provision for ARNPs still needing to complete the requirement to allow for a full two-year reporting CE cycle to do so. Therefore, as long as the continuing education course covers best practices in the prescribing of opioids, it would meet the CE requirement for ARNPs who prescribe opioids in Washington State. There is not a state sponsored course such as for the Suicide Prevention requirement.  Any program addressing best practicies can be used. 

The Continuing Education Center for AANP lists 12 classes on Controlled Substances and 22 classes on Pain. You may need to be a member to access the site.  Any CE addressing best practices for opioid prescribing fulfills the requirement, as long as you can document completion upon being audited within your next licensing period. 

If you are looking for the 24 hour course to obtain a waiver for buprenorphine prescribing, that is also available through the AANP website and I believe you do NOT have to be an AANP member to access that course. It is offered free through SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, but to acquire the credits and maintain documentation, look first at the AANP website. The course objectives are listed above and include best practices on pain management.