Can the registered nurse compound medications?

The competent and appropriately trained registered nurse may compound medications under the direction of an authorized health care practitioner. A prescription or order from an authorized health care practitioner is required. The registered nurse must follow the WAC 246-878 Compounding Practices and the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) compounding guidelines. The registered nurse should use the Scope of Practice Decision Tree to determine if performing compounding medications is within the registered nurse’s regulatory and individual scope of practice.