(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a pharmacist, registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse, licensed psychiatric technician, or other healing arts licentiate, if so authorized by administrative regulation, who is employed by or serves as a consultant for a licensed skilled nursing, intermediate care, or other health care facility, may orally or electronically transmit to the furnisher a prescription lawfully ordered by a person authorized to prescribe drugs or devices pursuant to Sections 4040 and 4070. The furnisher shall take appropriate steps to determine that the person who transmits the prescription is authorized to do so and shall record the name of the person who transmits the order. This section shall not apply to orders for Schedule II controlled substances.

(b) In enacting this section, the Legislature recognizes and affirms the role of the State Department of Public Health in regulating drug order processing requirements for licensed health care facilities as set forth in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations as they may be amended from time to time.

(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 653, Sec. 25. (SB 1489) Effective January 1, 2011.)