02-502 C.M.R. ch. 6, § B-1 - Authority to prescribe, obtain and administer

1. A certified midwife may prescribe, administer, or recommend nonprescription medication without limitation, subject only to the limitations of the midwife's professional knowledge and the standards of care applicable to the midwifery profession.

2. At the time of initial application, the applicant must submit evidence of current education related to pharmacology.

A. Pharmacology content shall include:

1) Applicable federal and state laws;

2) Prescription writing;

3) Drug selection, storage, dosage, route and administration techniques;

4) Drug interactions, side effects, and adverse effects;

5) Information resources; and

6) Clinical application of pharmacology related to midwifery scope of practice.

B. A certified midwife who holds prescriptive authority in another U.S. jurisdiction must submit evidence of the following:

1) A minimum of 200 hours of clinical and prescriptive practice within the preceding two years; and

2) A minimum of 45 contact hours (or three credits) of pharmacology equivalent to the requirements set forth in Section B(1).

C. If the applicant has not prescribed drugs within the past two years, the applicant shall provide evidence of satisfactory completion of 15 contact hours of pharmacology within the two years prior to the date of the application submission.

D. If the applicant has not prescribed drugs within the past five years, the applicant shall provide evidence of satisfactory completion of 45 contact hours (or three credits) of pharmacology within the two years prior to the date of the application submission.

E. The board may restrict, deny, suspend or revoke authority to prescribe, obtain, and administer drugs for violations of 32 MRSA chapter 113-B or evidence of abuse of such authority.

1) Abuse of prescriptive authority constitutes conduct derogatory to midwifery standards and is defined as prescribing, obtaining, or administering drugs:

a) For conditions beyond the certified midwife's scope of practice or inconsistent with current accepted evidence-informed clinical practice;

b) For other than therapeutic or prophylactic purposes;

c) To individuals who are not clients or patients of the certified midwife or who are not within the midwife's certification scope of practice; or

d) In an unsafe manner or without adequate instructions to clients or patients according to acceptable and prevailing standards of practice.

Notes

02-502 C.M.R. ch. 6, § B-1