Should nurses prescribe blood components?
OBJECTIVE
To explore the feasibility of nurses prescribing blood components.


METHODS
Using a convenience snowball sample, a UK-wide questionnaire survey was undertaken to identify transfusion practices and canvass the opinions of nurses and doctors.


RESULTS
A total of 179 (59%) of 302 respondents were supportive of nurses prescribing blood components, saying it would have a positive effect on the quality of patient care, result in fewer treatment delays and help doctors and nurses to use their time more effectively. The remaining 123 (41%) respondents had reservations about time and resource constraints and worries about undermining medical care and responsibility.


CONCLUSIONS
Development of non-medical prescribing to allow nurses to prescribe blood components has the potential to deliver a more patient-centred quality service.
Pirie
Elizabeth
E
Effective Use of Blood Group, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, Edinburgh. Liz.pirie@snbts.csa.scot.nhs.uk
Green
Jan
J
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000451:nursing*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000523:psychology; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000523:psychology; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000523:psychology; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000458:organization & administration; D055656:Prescriptions; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D017751:Safety Management; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D016526:Workload