Course Summary

Expiration Date: 10/30/2028

This continuing learning activity explores the legal and ethical implications healthcare professionals face when a patient contacts the office requesting a replacement for a lost or unfilled controlled substance prescription. Prescribing and managing controlled substances, particularly opioids and stimulants, carries significant responsibilities due to the risks of misuse, diversion, dependency, and overdose. Clinicians must navigate these complex situations while adhering to legal standards, clinical best practices, and ethical considerations. This learning activity offers evidence-based guidance on clinic policy development, documentation protocols, monitoring systems, urine drug screening, and patient financial concerns related to insurance coverage limitations.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

  • Introduction
    • Legal and Ethical Landscape
    • Clinic Policy and Documentation Practices
    • Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs
    • Drug Testing and Monitoring
    • Financial and Insurance Considerations
    • Patient Communication and Education
    • Case Study
    • Takeaway Points for Clinicians and Therapists

Authors

Sarah Schulze, MSN, APRN, CPNP

Sarah Schulze is a board certified pediatric nurse practitioner and professional medical content writer. She earned her BSN from Indiana State University and her MSN from University of Illinois at Chicago. In clinical practice as an RN and NP, she has experience in a variety of settings; including critical care, PACU, pediatrics, mental health, and lactation support. She currently owns and operates a private practice providing outpatient mental health services to children and adolescents. As a writer, she has developed content for many CEU courses, medical apps, health education curricula, NCLEX study materials, health blogs, and more.

William Cook, PhD

William Cook, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist who worked for 15 years in private practice in Montana before leaving his practice to work full time as the Director of CE4Less. He earned his doctorate degree from Texas A&M University, and focused much of his psychology practice in the area of child and family counseling, as well as psychological testing. Dr. Cook likes new challenges, foreign traveling to Africa and areas of Europe and the near East, scuba diving, running, music, and spending time with his family.