Practice Without a Collaborative Agreement
A licensed APRN who has
maintained his/her license for a period of not less than three (3) years, and
who has engaged in the performance of advanced practice level nursing activities
in collaboration with a licensed physician for a period of not less than three (3) years
and for not less than two thousand (2,000) hours, may thereafter practice alone
or in collaboration with a physician or another health care provider licensed to
practice in this state.
Any APRN who elects to practice without a collaborative agreement shall maintain
documentation of having engaged in the performance of advanced practice level
nursing activities in collaboration with a licensed physician for a period of not less
than three (3) years and not less than two thousand (2,000) hours in accordance with provisions in CGS 20-87a.
Such APRN shall maintain such documentation for a period of not less than
three (3) years after completing such requirements and shall submit such
documentation to the Department of Public Health for inspection not later than
forty-five (45) days after a request made by the
department for such documentation .
APRNs shall submit written notice to the Department of his or her
intention to practice without a collaborative agreement after completing the requirements described
above and prior to practicing without a collaborative agreement. Please select this link for the notification form.
There will be no indication on the licensing documents (two wallet-sized
cards and 1 suitable for posting) that the APRN is practicing without a collaborative agreement.
However, the licensing look-up page of the DPH website will provide an
indication that the APRN has submitted the required notification to the
Department and is practicing without a collaborative agreement.
Please select this link for more information regarding APRNs practicing not in collaboration with a licensed physician.
Practice Requiring a Collaborative Agreement
For the first three (3) years after obtaining
a license in Connecticut, an APRN must practice in collaboration with a
physician who is licensed in Connecticut. "Collaboration" means a mutually
agreed upon relationship between such APRN and a physician who is educated,
trained or has relevant experience that is related to the work of such advanced
practice registered nurse. The collaboration shall address a reasonable and
appropriate level of consultation and referral, coverage for the patient in the
absence of such APRN, a method to review patient outcomes and a method of
disclosure of the relationship to the patient. Relative to the exercise of
prescriptive authority, the collaboration between such advanced practice
registered nurse and a physician shall be in writing and shall address the level
of schedule II and III controlled substances that such APRN may prescribe and
provide a method to review patient outcomes, including, but not limited to, the
review of medical therapeutics, corrective measures, laboratory tests and other
diagnostic procedures that such advanced practice registered nurse may
prescribe, dispense and administer.
DPH will not collect copies of collaborative
practice agreements on a routine basis. However, APRNs must provide a copy
of the collaborative agreement to the Department upon request.