Nurse practitioner prescribing practice in Australia.
OBJECTIVE
In Australia, nurse practitioner (NP) services are a relatively new development with little being known about the prescribing practices of Australian NPs. The aim of this study was to conduct the first national study of Australian NP prescribing practices.


METHODS
Focus groups were conducted to inform construction of an electronic survey that was available for all NPs and NP candidates across Australia to complete.


CONCLUSIONS
Seventy-two percent of authorized NPs and 39% of NP candidates reported that their practice involved prescribing pharmaceutical agents. Of those respondents who did prescribe during the course of their practice, 59% (n = 29) of the authorized NPs and 64% (n = 16) of the NP candidates reported that they usually prescribe at least once a day. The results from this study suggest that fewer Australian NPs prescribe than do NPs in the United States, and those who do prescribe do so less frequently.


CONCLUSIONS
The current health policy framework in Australia while creating space for the role of the NP is restricting the role's utility and potential contribution to the health care of Australians.
Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory 0909, Australia.
Sandra V
SV
Dunn
Andrew
A
Cashin
Thomas
T
Buckley
Claire
C
Newman
D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D003625:Data Collection; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015399:Nursing Research; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States