title: Non-medical prescribing assessment - An evaluation of a nationally agreed multi method approach.
abstract: In the United Kingdom, legislation permits nurses and allied health professionals to prescribe for patients within their care. Preparation for this role includes learning, teaching and assessment that is embedded in practice, supervised by a designated medical practitioner (DMP) and evidenced in a reflective learning in practice portfolio.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objectives were to explore; (1) which assessment in the practice portfolio was ranked most valuable in terms of achieving safe, effective prescribing practice and, (2) whether a practice based assessment (SDEP) was an acceptable alternative to an Observed Simulated Clinical Examination (OSCE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Online surveys were conducted and follow up semi structured telephone interviews were conducted across 5 universities in Scotland with students, DMPs and line managers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students ranked the learning log most valuable and DMPs and line managers ranked the SDEP most valuable. Survey and follow up interviews suggested that the portfolio provided the opportunity to develop prescribing skills and knowledge relevant to their specific clinical speciality. There was agreement amongst all participants that clinical assessment in the practice portfolio effectively enable non-medical prescribing students to evidence prescribing competence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The novel use of the SDEP and reflective summary offers a viable alternative to an OSCE and was viewed as one of the most valued components of the assessment strategy.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Room 4.b.36, Sighthill Campus, Sighthill Court, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, UK. Electronic address: r.paterson@napier.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ruth E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Dundee University, Forth Avenue, Kirkcaldy KY2 5YS, UK. Electronic address: s.g.redman@dundee.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Susan G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Redman
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, The Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Campus, Aberdeen AB10 7QG, UK. Electronic address: r.unwin@rgu.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Unwin
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Glasgow Caledonian University, Room A516, UK. Electronic address: Evelyn.McElhinney@gcu.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McElhinney
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Stirling University (Western Isles Campus), UK. Electronic address: michael.macphee@stir.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Macphee
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of West of Scotland, UK. Electronic address: frances.downer@uws.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Downer
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D006801:Humans; D007397:Internship, Nonmedical; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012606:Scotland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Interprofessional; Non-medical prescribing; Portfolio; Practice assessment; Work based learning