(A) Except as provided in divisions (C) and (D) of this section, an applicant for a license to practice nursing as an advanced practice registered nurse who seeks designation as a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner shall include with the application submitted under section 4723.41 of the Revised Code evidence of successfully completing the course of study in advanced pharmacology and related topics in accordance with the requirements specified in division (B) of this section.

(B) With respect to the course of study in advanced pharmacology and related topics, all of the following requirements apply:

(1) The course of study shall be completed not longer than five years before the application is filed.

(2) The course of study shall be not less than forty-five contact hours.

(3) The course of study shall meet the requirements to be approved by the board in accordance with standards established in rules adopted under section 4723.50 of the Revised Code.

(4) The content of the course of study shall be specific to the applicant’s nursing specialty.

(5) The instruction provided in the course of study shall include all of the following:

(a) A minimum of thirty-six contact hours of instruction in advanced pharmacology that includes pharmacokinetic principles and clinical application and the use of drugs and therapeutic devices in the prevention of illness and maintenance of health;

(b) Instruction in the fiscal and ethical implications of prescribing drugs and therapeutic devices;

(c) Instruction in the state and federal laws that apply to the authority to prescribe;

(d) Instruction that is specific to schedule II controlled substances, including instruction in all of the following:

(i) Indications for the use of schedule II controlled substances in drug therapies;

(ii) The most recent guidelines for pain management therapies, as established by state and national organizations such as the Ohio pain initiative and the American pain society;

(iii) Fiscal and ethical implications of prescribing schedule II controlled substances;

(iv) State and federal laws that apply to the authority to prescribe schedule II controlled substances;

(v) Prevention of abuse and diversion of schedule II controlled substances, including identification of the risk of abuse and diversion, recognition of abuse and diversion, types of assistance available for prevention of abuse and diversion, and methods of establishing safeguards against abuse and diversion.

(C) An applicant who practiced or is practicing as a clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner in another jurisdiction or as an employee of the United States government shall include with the application submitted under section 4723.41 of the Revised Code all of the following:

(1) Evidence of having completed a two-hour course of instruction approved by the board in the laws of this state that govern drugs and prescriptive authority;

(2) Either of the following:

(a) Evidence of having held, for a continuous period of at least one year during the three years immediately preceding the date of application, valid authority issued by another jurisdiction to prescribe therapeutic devices and drugs, including at least some controlled substances;

(b) Evidence of having been employed by the United States government and authorized, for a continuous period of at least one year during the three years immediately preceding the date of application, to prescribe therapeutic devices and drugs, including at least some controlled substances, in conjunction with that employment.

(D) In lieu of including with an application submitted under section 4723.41 of the Revised Code the evidence described in division (A) of this section, an applicant described in division (C) or (D) of section 4723.41 of the Revised Code may include evidence of all of the following:

(1) Successfully completing the course of study in advanced pharmacology and related topics more than five years before the date the application is filed;

(2) Holding, for a continuous period of at least one year during the three years immediately preceding the date of application, valid authority in any jurisdiction to prescribe therapeutic devices and drugs, including at least some controlled substances;

(3) Exercising the prescriptive authority described in division (D)(2) of this section for the minimum one-year period.