North Carolina Board of Nursing Position Statement

Standing orders allow for the facilitation of timely interventions and the removal of barriers to care for various patient populations. Standing orders are the signed instructions of a provider authorized by state law to prescribe the medical treatment and/or pharmaceutical regimen. Standing orders describe the parameters of specified situations under which the nurse may act to carry out specific orders for a patient presenting with symptoms or needs addressed in the standing orders. They outline the assessment and interventions that a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) may perform or deliver. It is not within the nurse’s scope of practice to make a medical diagnosis, identify medical problems, develop medical treatment plans, or declare someone “free” of illness. Standing orders must be…