Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 420b - Dependency-Producing Drugs
Section 21a-251. (Formerly Sec. 19-459). - Dispensing of controlled substances by hospitals, infirmaries or clinics.

(a) No controlled substances shall be dispensed or administered by hospitals, infirmaries or clinics except upon written order signed or initialed by the prescribing practitioner or upon an oral order of a prescribing practitioner which shall be confirmed by a written order which shall be signed or initialed by such prescribing practitioner within twenty-four hours after the giving of such oral order for schedule II controlled substances and within seventy-two hours after the giving of such oral order for other controlled substances.

(b) Original and continuing orders for schedule II controlled substances shall be limited to a period not exceeding seven days from the time the order is entered, but may be extended for additional periods of seven days each by the signing or initialing of the order by a prescribing practitioner.
(c) Original and continuing orders for schedule III, IV or V controlled substances shall be limited in duration as designated in the written order of the prescribing practitioner, but in no case shall such order be effective for more than thirty days.
(d) An original or continuing medication order for a controlled substance in a hospital, as defined in subsection (b) of section 19a-490, or a hospice licensed by the Department of Public Health or certified pursuant to 42 USC Section 1395x, may include a range of doses that may be administered by a physician assistant licensed pursuant to chapter 370, a licensed nurse or an advanced practice registered nurse licensed pursuant to chapter 378 or a nurse-midwife licensed pursuant to chapter 377. Each such hospital or hospice shall establish a written protocol that identifies the specific drugs that may be prescribed in ranges and that lists critical assessment parameters and guidelines to be considered in implementing such orders. The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, with the advice and assistance of the commissioner of any other state health care licensing authority having primary jurisdiction over such hospital or hospice, may require the modification of any protocol to meet the requirements of this subsection. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to restrict the use of patient administered analgesia through the use of pumps or similar devices.
(1967, P.A. 555, S. 15; 1969, P.A. 753, S. 10; 1972, P.A. 278, S. 7; P.A. 79-52; P.A. 96-203, S. 1; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S. 30, 88; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(c); P.A. 04-189, S. 1.)
History: 1969 act made seventy-two-hour deadline applicable to controlled nonnarcotic drugs and imposed twenty-four-hour deadline for narcotic drugs in Subsec. (a); 1972 act substituted “substances” for “drugs” and made provisions applicable to infirmaries and clinics; P.A. 79-52 substituted “Schedule II controlled substances” for “narcotic drugs”, made Subsec. (b) applicable to original orders in addition to continuing orders and added exception re nonnarcotic drugs and added Subsec. (c); Sec. 19-459 transferred to Sec. 21a-251 in 1983; P.A. 96-203 added Subsec. (d) allowing administration of range of doses of a controlled substance in a hospital or hospice by physician assistant, licensed nurse, advance practice registered nurse or nurse-midwife; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8 deleted seventy-two-hour restriction on continuing orders for nonnarcotic controlled substances in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 1997; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Consumer Protection with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes