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  1. North Carolina Board of Nursing
  2. Nurse Practitioner
  3. Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is a current Registered Nurse license needed to practice as a Nurse Practitioner in North Carolina?
  • Is physician supervision required for Nurse Practitioner practice in North Carolina?
  • What is Nurse Practitioner Registration? Is it required?
  • What is Initial Approval to Practice?
  • What is an Approval Number?
  • How is the Nurse Practitioners scope of practice defined in North Carolina?
  • What materials might be requested if I am audited by the Board?
  • Do Nurse Practitioners have hospital admission privileges in North Carolina?
  • What happens if a job or supervising physician is changed?
  • Does the Quality Improvement (QI) process start again each time supervising physicians are changed?
  • What should be done when the relationship with a supervising physician is discontinued?
  • What are the minimum number of practice hours required to maintain the Nurse Practitioner approval to practice?
  • What is a Collaborative Practice Agreement (CPA)?
  • Is current national certification required for Nurse Practitioner approval to practice in North Carolina?
  • Can Nurse Practitioners prescribe refills for Schedule controlled substances?
  • What information must be on the Nurse Practitioner's name badge?
  • Can collaborative practice agreements and quality improvement meetings be electronically signed by the NP and primary supervising physician?
  • Does the North Carolina Board of Nursing approve graduate programs?
  • Is the supervising physician required to be physically present at all times while the Nurse Practitioner is practicing?
  • Can Nurse Practitioners prescribe controlled substances?
  • Are supervising physicians and back-up supervising physicians responsible for the medical acts of Nurse Practitioners?
  • Is a backup supervising physician required in North Carolina?
  • Are Nurse Practitioners required to have a NPI number?
  • What are the usual age ranges for the Nurse Practitioner roles?
  • Can NPs sign death certificates? What if the NP does not have official confirmation of cause of death?
  • Why do the death certificates need to be signed no more than 3 days after death?
  • Do NPs or other APRNs need to carry their own liability insurance?
  • I am an APRN in NC, what is considered a boundary violation?
  • How should I introduce myself as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse?
North Carolina Board of Nursing