Non-medical prescribers and CPD: a training needs analysis
October 30, 2009 by admin
This article describes a training needs analysis of the provision of continuing professional development (CPD) for non-medical prescribers within a Strategic Health Authority. Short courses, of one or two days, specific to the role of non-medical prescriber were considered popular and useful in, but they need to be advertised at least six weeks in advance, with relevant information provided to allow informed choice. Confidence emerged as a key issue for respondents and being able to prescribe tended to improve job satisfaction.
The training needs analysis made a number of recommendations, including a review of pharmacology within nursing curricula. The non-medical prescribers identified the following training gaps: eczema and skin updates, diabetes, hypertension, infections and antibiotics, legal issues about prescribing, prescribing updates, interpreting statistics particularly to understand data from pharmaceutical companies, basic pharmacology updates and clinical skills training related to scope of practice.
A total of 270 returned postal questionnaires from non-medical prescribers were analysed (response rate was 23%) and telephone interview conducted with 11 key stakeholders including clinical managers.
Green A et al. Provision of continued professional development for non-medical prescribers within a South of England Strategic Health Authority: a report on a training needs analysis. J Nursing Management 2009; 17: 603-614.
Nurse prescribing in diabetes: professionals’ views
October 30, 2009 by admin
Nurse prescribing for people with diabetes supports advanced practice in this area, according to the results of this study involving interviews with nurse prescribers, doctors and non-prescribing nurses.
Prescribing was seen as a natural progression of the advanced roles that nurses have moved into over recent years and as supporting and enabling these new ways of working. Of the three nurses who were not prescribers, the diabetes specialist nurse said that the qualification was seen as necessary for career progression but the two in general practice had not felt under any pressure to become prescribers. Respondents working in general practice felt that nurses should complete disease-specific modules before undertaking the prescribing course. The prescribing nurses caring for people with diabetes found the generic prescribing information on the course useful. There was, however, variation between the courses in terms of the workload. The doctors interviewed felt they should be involved in mentoring, as at present, particularly because of the complexities of prescribing for diabetes, but thought that nurse prescribers also have a role to play.
Courtenay M, Stenner K and Carey N. Nurses’ and doctors’ views about the prescribing programme. Nurse Prescribing 2009; 7(9): 412-417.
The impact of nurse prescribing on dermatology services
October 30, 2009 by admin
Nurse prescribing has enabled nurses to use their knowledge and skills more effectively, overcome treatment delays and allowed faster medication access, according to the conclusions of the first study to explore the impact of nurse prescribing on the configuration of dermatology services. Stakeholders felt that there had been benefits to both patients and staff but that access to support and continuing professional development, and the capacity of the workforce, remain barriers to further progress.
Data were collected from 10 case study sites in 2006-2007 using semi-structured interviews with nurse prescribers and doctors, non-prescribing nurses and administrators. The cases were selected to represent both primary and secondary care in different locations and included nurses working in general practice and specialist nurses.
The results suggested that the dermatology services were now dependent upon nurse prescribing: in general practice, the impact was mostly felt through nurses prescribing in previously established minor illness clinics; in specialist areas, in contrast, new clinics and nurse-led services had been established as a result, both in outpatients and primary care.
Carey N, Stenner K and Courtenay M. Stakeholder views on the impact of nurse prescribing on dermatology services. J Clin Nursing 2009; published online 11 September.
New NPF published for community practitioners
October 30, 2009 by admin
A new ‘Nurse Prescribers’ Formulary for Community Practitioners’ has been published as a 64-page booklet for community practitioner nurse prescribers, and provides an overview of some common conditions and details of medicines that may be prescribed by these nurses.
It is published by the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, in association with the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association and the Royal College of Nursing and is designed for use with the ‘British National Formulary’ (see here).
October CKS updates
October 30, 2009 by admin
The Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) website added a new topic in October on tiredness and fatigue in adults and updated topics on: amenorrhoea; diabetes type 2; eating disorders; polycystic ovary syndrome; schizophrenia; and urinary tract infection (lower) - women.
RCN Wales calls for action in emergency care
October 30, 2009 by admin
The Welsh Assembly Government should accelerate the introduction of independent nurse prescribers, supplementary nurse prescribers and patient group directions within emergency care departments. Â This is one of the 12 recommendations made by RCN Wales in ‘Emergency Care - A Call for Action‘ that it says would transform Welsh emergency care services.
RCN Wales says that non-medical prescribing progress has been slow in Wales, and that recognition by the NHS of the contribution it can make to emergency care departments has been particularly slow in coming.
A lack of NHS leadership on important issues including taking advantage of new nursing roles, investment in community care, and unsafe staffing levels has led to low morale and a poor patient experience within emergency care in Wales, according to RCN Wales
Independent Prescribing: Practical Prescribing
October 11, 2009 by admin
As a nurse working in private healthcare, can I administer injectable medicines such as Botox Vistabel, Dysport, and Azzalure in cosmetic procedures using a patient group direction (PGD)? Could I prescribe these treatments?
To read the response to this question, click here.
Developing non-medical prescribing in Scotland
October 5, 2009 by admin
Guidance for NHS Boards on how to ’set up, manage and drive’ nurse midwife and allied health professional (NMAHP) prescribing has been set out in ‘A Safe Prescription’.
September CKS updates
October 5, 2009 by admin
The Clinical Knowledge Summaries website has added or updated the following topics in September: angina - stable; Candida - oral; diarrhoea - antibiotic associated; diarrhoea - prevention and advice for travellers; gastroenteritis; gonorrhoea (new); and urethritis - male.
Non-medical prescribing continues to grow
October 5, 2009 by admin
NHS Prescription Services received 11.6 million items for processing from nurse prescribers in the year to March 2009, an increase of 18.8% on the previous year according to a recent report from the NHS Business Services Authority.
In March this year, there were over 11 000 nurse independent prescribers and more than 21 600 community practitioners on its database of prescribers, and there are now also nearly 600 pharmacist prescribers.
The number of items prescribed by nurse independent prescribers is increasing, while that prescribed by community practitioners is decreasing, although this is probably down to the increasing numbers of the latter taking the prescribing course. Penicillins are the largest single category for nurse prescribing, followed by emollients. Non-medical prescribing also appears to be reducing the pressure on GPs.
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