FAQs
Can an NP prescribe Lithium in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania
Nurse Practitioner Collaboration

Can an NP prescribe Lithium in Pennsylvania?

Chris Turitzin
•
Updated
September 1, 2026

Yes — Pennsylvania CRNPs may prescribe lithium when they have current prescriptive authority approval and prescribe within their specialty under a physician prescriptive authority collaborative agreement identifying applicable drug categories.1

For prescriptive authority approval, Pennsylvania requires at least 45 hours of advanced pharmacology coursework.2 A CRNP may not delegate prescriptive authority. Because lithium is not a controlled substance, controlled-substance DEA registration does not apply to lithium. Pennsylvania’s CRNP controlled-substance limits for Schedule II and Schedule III/IV drugs do not apply to lithium prescribing.3

Citations

  1. 49 Pa. Code §21.283(a); 49 Pa. Code §21.285
  2. 49 Pa. Code §21.283(b)(1)
  3. 49 Pa. Code §21.284(d)
Chris Turitzin
Chris, founded Single Aim Health in 2024 to provide clinicians, especially NPs and PAs, with essential services for launching and growing their practices. A Stanford graduate in Product Design, Chris co-founded Momentus Media, which was acquired by Facebook, and worked as a Product Manager there. He later gained expertise in digital health through leadership roles at Bicycle Health, Virta Health, and founding Wink Health. Now, he is using his experience to help clinicians through Single Aim Health.
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Disclaimer: The regulatory research, summaries, and tools provided by Single Aim, LLC are for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. While we strive to ensure accuracy, healthcare laws vary by state and may change over time. You should always consult a licensed attorney familiar with healthcare regulations in your specific state before making decisions related to you clinical and operational needs for compliance. Single Aim is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. Use of our materials does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Need legal guidance? We recommend contacting a licensed healthcare attorney in your state or using professional associations such as the American Health Law Association (AHLA) or your state’s medical or nursing board for referrals.