Physician duties · CNS · District of Columbia

Signing for a Clinical Nurse Specialist in District of Columbia: what the physician takes on

No agreement is required, so the terms are whatever you both negotiate. Clinical Nurse Specialists practice independently in District of Columbia, so any agreement is voluntary.

Practice authorityIndependent practice
Written agreementNo agreement required
What District of Columbia calls itNo instrument required
Research date2026-09-03

D.C. Code § 3-1206.07b specifically expanded CNS scope alongside the general § 3-1206.03 repeal — a CNS may practice their full scope without a collaborating-physician relationship.

What you take on as the physician

The rules the physician relationship has to follow. Each fact comes from the statute or board rule listed under sources.

Proximity

No proximity requirement

No physician availability/proximity standard applies post-HORA 2024.

Supervision ratio

Not codified — no cap on file

Chart review

Not codified — left to the agreement

Meeting cadence

Not codified — left to the agreement

Prescriptive authority

Covered by the practice agreement · controlled substances permitted

Requires DEA registration and a DC controlled-substance registration; exact schedule-level limits not independently confirmed in this pass.

Written agreement

Not required

Unconditional as of HORA 2024.

Practice ownership (corporate practice of medicine)

Licensee-only ownership required — Same open item as the general `np` entry — no confirmed independent-ownership statute for APRN practice entities under the Board of Nursing.

Legal sources for these rules (2)

What physicians charge for this role

Typical monthly compensation in District of Columbia

$500$600

Estimate for one Clinical Nurse Specialist. Standard-tier state.

About District of Columbia's rules

The Health Occupations Revision Amendment Act of 2024 repealed D.C. Code § 3-1206.03, eliminating the collaboration mandate for all APRN categories (NP/PMHNP/CRNA/CNM/CNS) — DC is now a full-practice-authority jurisdiction for APRNs. PAs are NOT covered by that reform and still require a Board of Medicine Delegation Agreement regardless of experience; no autonomous-PA pathway was found in DC as of this pass.

Other clinicians in District of Columbia: see the state overview.