On April 1, 2020, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) released a waiver related to certain licensing requirements for Advance Practice Nurses (APRNs). Specifically, DHSS waived the requirement that physicians must review the non-controlled substance records of APRNs every 14 days until the COVID 19 emergency is declared to be over.

DHSS also waived the requirement that APRNs and physicians must practice together for one month with the physician continuously present, before the APRN may practice without the physician’s presence. As such, until the COVID 19 emergency is declared to be over, APRNs and physicians are free to establish a collaborative practice relationship, and permit APRNs to immediately practice without the physician’s presence, provided that all other requirements of the collaborative practice regulations are met.

The waiver letter is available at: https://www.pr.mo.gov/common/Waivers-Related-to-Advanced-Practice-Registered-Nurses-4-1-20.pdf

Who to Contact: 

Please reach out to your Lashly & Baer attorney or one of the Cross-Disciplinary Coronavirus Practice Team Attorneys if you have any questions about the information above. For additional resources view the Lashly & Baer Coronavirus Resource Page.

Prepared By: 

Richard W. Hill
Phone: 314-436-8317
Email: rhill@lashlybaer.com

Scott A. Pummell
Phone: 314-436-8369
Email: spummell@lashlybaer.com

This summary and legal alert is an overview of the new guidance. It is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, legal advice for a specific factual situation.