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Publication - Advice and guidance

Supplementary Prescribing by Nurses within NHSScotland: A Guide for Implementation

Published
1 December 2003
Topic
Health and social care
ISBN
0755908317

Supplementary Prescribing by Nurses within NHS Scotland

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Supplementary Prescribing by Nurses within NHSScotland: A Guide for Implementation

ANNEX A
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The Council's requirements for Extended independent nurse prescribing and supplementary prescribing

Standard of programme

1. The standard of the programme should be no less than first degree level, such as to enable the registered nurse, midwife or health visitor, from parts 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, to acquire the competencies which are set out in section 8 of this paper.

2. A variety of assessment strategies should be employed to test knowledge and the application of theory to practice.

3. Assessment should focus upon the principles and practice of prescribing and, professional accountability and responsibility of the practitioners on the Council's register undertaking the role.

Kind of programme

4. The post-registration programme should be free-standing to meet the required competencies in practice.

5. Arrangements must be in place for teaching, supervision, support and assessment of the student prescriber in practice.

Content of the programme

6. Pre-programme preparation:

6.1 each individual registered nurse's, midwife's or health visitor's previous education, training and experience will influence the amount of pre-programme preparation required before embarking on the prescribing programme at academic level 3.

6.2 institutions may offer assessment of prior (experiential) learning (AP(E)L) to accommodate those who are currently prescribing or, who may be able to demonstrate learning that is appropriate, to meet some of the competencies required of this standard.

7. Content of the programme:

7.1 the content of the programme should reflect that prescribing is a competence based professional activity. The underpinning knowledge requirements and competencies are outlined in Section 8 of this paper.

7.2 the content should reflect the requirements of local commissioners across the four countries of the United Kingdom in addition to those specified in this standard.

8. The principal areas, knowledge and competencies required to underpin the practice of prescribing.

Principal areas

Knowledge

Competence

Principles

  • Legislation that underpins prescribing

  • Works within the legislative framework relevant to the area of practice and locality

  • Understands the principles behind supplementary prescribing and how they are applied to practice

  • Able to use the adverse reaction reporting mechanisms

  • Team working principles and practice

  • Awareness of the impact of prescribing in the wider delivery of care

  • Able to work and communicate as part of a multidisciplinary prescribing workforce

  • Reviews diagnosis and generates treatment options within the clinical treatment management plan

  • Philosophy and psychology of prescribing

  • Understand the complexity of the external demands and influences on prescribing

Practice

  • Up-to-date clinical and pharmaceutical knowledge

  • Makes an accurate assessment and diagnosis and generates treatment options

  • Relevant to own area of expertise

  • Principles of drug dosage, side effects, reactions and interactions

  • Able to prescribe safely, appropriately and cost effectively

  • Understands how medicinesare licensed, monitored

  • Communication, consent and concordance

  • Able to work with patients and clients as partners in treatment

  • Proactively develops dynamic clinical management plans

  • Able to assess when to prescribe or make appropriate referral

  • Able to refer back to a medicalpractitioner when appropriate

  • Relationship of public health requirements to prescribing

  • Aware of policies that have an impact on public health and influence prescribing practice

  • Able to articulate the boundaries of prescribing practice in relation to the duty of care to patients and society

Accountability

  • The Code of professional conduct

  • Able to apply the principles of accountability to prescribing practice

  • The lines of accountability at all levels for prescribing

  • Able to account for the cost and effects of prescribing practice

  • Regularly reviews evidence behind therapeutic strategies

  • Drug abuse and the potential for misuse

  • Able to assess risk to the public of inappropriate use of prescribed substances

  • Requirements of record keeping

  • Understand where and how to access and use patient/client records

  • Lines of communication

  • Able to write and maintain coherent records of prescribing practice

  • Able to communicate effectively with patients, clients and professional colleagues

Responsibility

  • Leadership skills

  • Able to advise and guide peers in the practise of prescribing

  • Roles of other prescribers

  • Able to articulate and understand the roles of other key stakeholders in prescribing practice

  • Relationship of prescribers to pharmacists

  • Understand the requirements of pharmacists in the prescribing and supply process

  • Clinical governance requirements in prescribing practice

  • Link prescribing practice with evidence base, employer requirements and local formularies

  • Audit trails to inform prescribing practice

  • Demonstrate ability to audit practice, undertake reflective practice and identify continuing professional development needs
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