Nurse prescribers: who are they and how do they perceive their role?
- 4 August 2005
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Advanced Nursing
- Vol. 51 (5) , 439-448
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2005.03527.x
Abstract
Aims. This paper reports a study to elicit background data from recently qualified nurse prescribers and explore aspects of their work. Background. Nurse prescribing has been introduced quite recently in the United Kingdom. Although a certain amount of information is available about the characteristics of nurse prescribers, relatively little is known about their professional backgrounds, their reasons for choosing to become nurse prescribers and their perceptions of their emerging role. More information is needed to inform the selection, education and support of nurse prescribers. Method. All nurses who undertook a nurse prescribing course in one university in the West Midlands during 2003–2004 were invited to participate in the study. A 40-item questionnaire was used to gather data on demographics, expectations of nurse prescribing, personal and professional development and perceived education needs. Findings. Respondents considered that, despite initial problems, the nurse prescribing initiative would ultimately prove to be a cornerstone of improved service delivery for service users. The majority of nurses were already heavily involved in prescribing ‘by proxy’ and the course merely formalized what they were currently doing. Potentially, prescribing could advance the professional development of nurses, improve communication between professionals and patients, and make the experience of patients more beneficial. However, some concerns were expressed about how supportive the current climate in health care could be, given the multiple demands on time and energy required by so many other innovations. Conclusions. Respondents appeared balanced in their perceptions of this innovation and what it could realistically achieve. They were not indifferent to the many short and long-term problems that need to be resolved before it can be claimed to have become embedded in practice. The success of non-medical prescribing may depend on organizational support, coupled with a robust continuing professional development strategy for all nurse prescribers.Keywords
This publication has 22 references indexed in Scilit:
- Causes of intravenous medication errors: an ethnographic studyQuality and Safety in Health Care, 2003
- Causes of prescribing errors in hospital inpatients: a prospective studyThe Lancet, 2002
- Community mental health nurses and authority to prescribe medications: the way forward?Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 2002
- Hospital prescribing errors: epidemiological assessment of predictorsBritish Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2002
- A view of prescriptive practice collaboration: Perspectives of psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialists and psychiatristsArchives of Psychiatric Nursing, 2000
- Primary Care Outcomes in Patients Treated by Nurse Practitioners or PhysiciansJAMA, 2000
- The Use of Antidepressants and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by General Practitioners and Psychiatrists: Findings from a Questionnaire Survey in Two Swedish AreasAnnals of Clinical Psychiatry, 1996
- Compliance therapy in psychotic patients: randomised controlled trialBMJ, 1996
- Quality, cost-effective psychiatric treatment: A CNS—MD collaborative practice modelArchives of Psychiatric Nursing, 1995
- Clinical outcomes and satisfaction of patients of clinical nurse specialists in psychiatric-mental health nursingArchives of Psychiatric Nursing, 1995