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HB 2298

Practice of nursing; providing for independent prescriptive authority of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who meet certain requirements; modifying various provisions of the Oklahoma Pharmacy Act, the Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act, and the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act; effective date.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Kyle Hilbert and 1 co-sponsor

Oklahoma law now allows Advanced Practice Registered Nurses to independently prescribe medications including controlled substances if they meet certain requirements, reducing physician oversight requirements.

Filed with Secretary of State
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Bill Summary · HB 2298

Legislative bill overview

HB 2298 grants Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) in Oklahoma independent prescriptive authority, allowing them to prescribe medications—including controlled substances—without physician oversight, provided they meet specific educational and certification requirements. The bill modifies the Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act, Pharmacy Act, and Controlled Dangerous Substances Act to establish these new authority parameters.

Why is this important

This significantly expands healthcare access in underserved rural areas and addresses physician shortages by allowing APRNs to function more autonomously. It also affects healthcare costs, patient choice, and the scope of practice dynamics between nursing and medical professions in Oklahoma.

Potential points of contention

  • Physician opposition: Medical associations may argue that independent APRN prescribing, particularly for controlled substances, risks patient safety without physician oversight and diagnostic expertise
  • Patient safety concerns: Questions about whether APRNs have equivalent training to physicians for complex medication management, drug interactions, and off-label prescribing decisions
  • Regulatory implementation: Defining which "requirements" APRNs must meet and how enforcement mechanisms work across pharmacy, nursing, and controlled substance boards
  • Controlled substance access: Concerns that independent APRN prescribing authority for controlled substances could increase diversion or inappropriate pain medication distribution without physician gatekeeping

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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