title: Exploring midwifery prescribing in Australia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Midwifery prescribing was introduced in Australia in 2010 and is available to those notated as Medicare Eligible. Only 59% of Medicare Eligible midwives are endorsed prescribers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore and describe Australian midwives views of prescribing including the barriers and enablers to prescribing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Online survey. Eligible participants were Australian midwives who had completed an educational programme required for endorsement as a midwifery prescriber (n=131). Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyse the data set.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-six midwives entered data (50% response rate). Twelve midwives (18%) had commenced prescribing. Prescribers agreed that being able to prescribe enhanced women's access to medicines and role satisfaction. The most common barriers to initiating prescribing were regulatory issues and processes, and no pathway to support midwifery prescribing in the public sector. The enabling factors most commonly reported were supportive relationships, education and personal factors such as motivation, knowledge and confidence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prescribing was viewed positively by midwives, but only a small proportion of suitably educated midwives were able to translate this into prescribing. Prolonged and complicated registration processes, restrictive drug formularies, and a lack of prescribing roles for public sector midwives were clear barriers. Supportive professional relationships, quality education and personal motivation and confidence assisted midwives in overcoming these barriers. Offering mentoring may help midwives to move into prescribing practice and use it in a manner that best meets the health needs of women and infants in midwifery care.
authors.affiliation: Menzies Health Institute Qld, Griffith University, Queensland 4131, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, University Drive, Meadowbrook, Queensland 4131, Australia. Electronic address: k.small@griffith.edu.au.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Small
authors.affiliation: Menzies Health Institute Qld, Griffith University, Queensland 4131, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, University Drive, Meadowbrook, Queensland 4131, Australia.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sidebotham
authors.affiliation: Menzies Health Institute Qld, Griffith University, Queensland 4131, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, University Drive, Meadowbrook, Queensland 4131, Australia.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gamble
authors.affiliation: Menzies Health Institute Qld, Griffith University, Queensland 4131, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, University Drive, Meadowbrook, Queensland 4131, Australia; Gold Coast University Hospital, 1 Hospital Blvd, Southport, Queensland 4215, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fenwick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011361:Professional Competence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Education; Medicare eligible; Midwife; Prescribing; Regulation