Numeracy standards: could do better?
January 24, 2011 by admin
This author, a course leader for independent and supplementary nurse prescribing courses, raises questions about how well the current numeracy standards work and whether a review of the way numeracy is taught and assessed in the prescribing programme is needed. More consistency in assessment methods, which vary widely, and continuing education in the clinical setting, could perhaps help reduce drug errors - and also increase the competence and confidence of prescribers.
Axe S. Numeracy and nurse prescribing: do the standards achieve their aim? Nurse Education in Practice 2010; in press.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2010.11.008
Pharmacist prescribing on a surgical ward
January 24, 2011 by admin
Pharmacist prescribing does not always seem to have realised its potential - this account of how pharmacist prescribing was introduced to a surgical ward looks at some of the benefits, as well as describing the process of implementation. The author highlights the fact that of the new items prescribed for patients in the first three months, the three most common categories - anticoagulants, analgesics and antibacterials - all correlate with priority areas in patient safety initiatives, and there had also been previous incidents on the ward in all three areas. Anecdotally, benefits included speedier prescribing on admission and a faster discharge process. The author believes that a close working relationship with the surgical team was crucial to the success of this initiative.
Sassi-Jones K. Benefits of implementing pharmacist prescribing on a surgical ward. Br J Clin Pharmacy 2010; 338-340.
Medicines waste: how much and is it preventable?
January 24, 2011 by admin
What is the real cost of wasted medicines - and how much could be done to prevent this wastage? Well, according to a report published late last year, the gross annual cost of NHS primary and community care prescription medicines wastage in England is now about £300 million. Much of this, however, is neither avoidable nor the result of poor practice, with the study estimating that less than 50% (probably 30-50%) is likely to be preventable in a cost-effective way.
The report, ‘Evaluation of the scale, causes and costs of waste medicines’ (see here), by the York Health Economics Consortium, University of York, and the School of Pharmacy, University of London, and commissioned by the Department of Health, also says that medicines waste within primary and community care in the English NHS, “should not be regarded as a serious systemic problem”.
The report identifies some of the causes of medicines waste, highlights the need to emphasise health outcomes rather than medicines waste per se, and identifies some strategies for waste reduction. The authors call for a degree of realism, however, in looking for further improvements, taking into account how much has been achieved already, and at the complex causes of continuing waste, and conclude that: “It is when reducing medicines waste also directly and effectively contributes to the fundamental task of improving care quality and health outcomes that the greatest returns are to be gained.”
New CKS topics for January
January 24, 2011 by admin
Three new topics have been added to the Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) website : bedwetting (enuresis); hyponatraemia; and prostate cancer.
NICE recommends prucalopride for chronic constipation in women
January 24, 2011 by admin
NICE has recommended prucalopride as an option in certain circumstances for women with chronic constipation: treatment with at least two laxatives from different classes, at the highest tolerated recommended dose for at least six months, must have failed to provide adequate relief; and invasive treatment is being considered.
If prucalopride is not effective after 4 weeks, the woman should be examined again and the treatment reconsidered. Only clinicians with experience in treating chronic constipation should prescribe prucalopride, and they should review previous treatments carefully first.
Categories
Recent Posts
- Why aren’t mental health nurse prescribers prescribing?
- Prescribing in prisons
- Evidence into practice: key therapeutic topics
- MHRA still working on unlicensed medicines review
- Oral penicillin: children’s dosage recommendations
- RCN indemnity changes - further reactions
- No news is bad news on CD changes
- Where is the evidence base: NMP in primary care?
- Medicines for Children website launched
- NRLS to transfer to NHS Trust
Tags
- ANP ANP conference Carey N CD children CKS Clinical Knowledge Summaries consultation controlled drugs COPD cosmetic treatments Courtenay Courtenay M CPD dermatology DH diabetes district nurse prescriber generic substitution Home Office independent prescribers Matt Griffiths mental health MeReC MHRA Misuse of Drugs mixing medicines National Prescribing Centre NICE NMC non-medical prescribing NPC NPF NPSA Nurse prescribing Patient Group Directions PGD PGDs Prescribing RCN Royal Pharmaceutical Society Stenner Stenner K supplementary prescribers unlicensed medicines
