title: Nurse prescribers: infrastructures required to support their role.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to answer the question: what are the opinions of nurse prescribing students about infrastructures required to support nurse prescribing?
  
  
  METHODS
  Two researchers collected data from 12 focus groups (six health visitor and six district nurse groups) made up of students undertaking a course in nurse prescribing at the University of Central Lancashire. The total number of people who participated in the study was 146.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten themes were identified by the focus groups as necessary infrastructures to support nurse prescribing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that, for nurse prescribers to fulfil their new role effectively, a variety of mechanisms are necessary. These supporting infrastructures are vital to the success of nurse prescribing and are likely to result in a more confident and competent prescribing workforce.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary and Community Nursing, University of Central Lancashire, Preston.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Humphries
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000451:nursing; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D004739:England; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires