Nurses have told told Parliament they support plans to extend their ability to prescribe medicines.
Parliament's health select committee has begun hearing submissions on the Medicines Amendment Bill which makes changes to prescribing rights.
The Nurses Council told MPs on Wednesday it approves of a move to align nurse practitioners with other health practitioners as authorised prescribers.
It says a designated prescriber category will enable nurses to prescribe nicotine patches to smokers seeking to quit and head lice medication to schoolchildren.
However, it is recommending changes to a provision that would allow the Health Minister to authorise temporary prescribers, saying it should be consulted.
