More than a prescriber: gerontological nurse practitioners' perspectives on prescribing and pharmaceutical marketing.
The purpose of this study was to gain understanding about nurse practitioners' (NPs') prescriptive decision making for geriatric patients with attention to pharmaceutical marketing influences. Prior research has focused on physician prescribers and identified suboptimal practices. Because the majority of medications are prescribed to older adults, NPs in geriatric practice were targeted as an information-rich group to interview about prescribing issues. Given the exploratory nature of this research, qualitative focus group methods were employed using content analysis. Fifteen NPs were recruited at an annual national geriatric NP conference. They worked in all regions of the United States, had an average of 9 years prescribing experience, and participated in 1 of the 2 focus groups. The key theme that emerged was that they were more than a prescriber. Findings revealed overwhelming consistency among the NP participants that their nursing background instilled a holistic approach that encompassed both nondrug and therapeutic drug options and skepticism about drug marketing, as well as offered a positive difference by tailoring to their patients' biophysical, psychological, and economic needs with an involvement in the interplay of geriatric care issues not typically addressed by physicians. The participants' reported approaches were in alignment with geriatric prescribing recommendations.
Geriatric Nursing Research at Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, School of Nursing, Boston, MA, USA.
Diane Feeney
DF
Mahoney
Elissa
E
Ladd
D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003657:Decision Making; D004345:Drug Industry; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics / Q000451:nursing*; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008389:Marketing of Health Services; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D018579:Patient Selection; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States