Crown II: the implications of nurse prescribing for practice nursing.
Certain limited prescribing rights have now been granted to district nurses and health visitors. Proposals to extend prescribing rights to other health professionals have recently been put forward in the Review of Prescribing. Supply and Administration of Medicines (DoH, 1999). Practice nurses are one group who are likely to apply for such rights. This article reports on selected findings from a small-scale qualitative study designed to investigate the current and potential future of practice nurse in prescribing. It was found that practice nurses exercise considerable influence over prescribing in diverse therapeutic areas within general practice. However, it may be difficult to accommodate the prescribing requirements inherent in such a broad scope of practice within the framework of the present proposals. Important issues of accountability and patient safety are raised, and recommendations made for policy, research and education.
Abbey Lane Surgery, Sheffield, UK.
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Baird
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000451:nursing*; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000191:economics; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000639:trends; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D019555:Physician-Nurse Relations; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D006113:United Kingdom