The impact of nurse/midwife prescribing on nursing and midwifery practice in Ireland
Aine McHugh
University College Dublin
Áine Mc Hugh is a lecturer with 17 years’ experience in both pre-registration and taught graduate nursing programmes. Her teaching areas include community psychiatric nursing, interpersonal skills and communication, specialist mental health and care of the elderly with a mental health problem. She has a special interest in computer aided learning and nursing informatics with extensive experience in the development and utilization of e-learning tools for the profession. She is a qualified general and psychiatric nurse and is a registered nurse tutor. From November 2007 until October 2012 Áine was a nominated member of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland formerly An Bord Altranais, the Irish nursing and midwifery regulatory body. She was a member of the Fitness to practice, education and training, registration appeals among other committees. She is currently the nurse/midwife prescribing course coordinator in the UCD School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems.
Abstract
Background Nurse/Midwife Prescribing was introduced in Ireland in 2007; currently there are over 800 of these registered prescribers working in Ireland. There is evidence that patients and the nurse/midwife prescribers... [ view full abstract ]
Background
Nurse/Midwife Prescribing was introduced in Ireland in 2007; currently there are over 800 of these registered prescribers working in Ireland. There is evidence that patients and the nurse/midwife prescribers themselves are satisfied with the initiative. This study explored the impact of the nurse/midwife prescribing registration programme in clinical practice.
Aim and objectives of the study
The aim of the research was to examine the impact of the prescribing programme on nurse/midwife prescribers’ clinical practice. The study aspired to also demonstrate whether or not the nurse prescribing course can produce nurse would can prescribe medicinal products appropriately and safely in clinical practice.
Method: The study examined two groups qualified and candidate nurse/midwife prescribers using a concurrent mixed research method. The study measured the confidence, accuracy, advice seeking behavior and working within the scope of practice of the participants, through the use of 44 validated clinical scenarios. The sample was obtained through recruitment via a number of Higher Education Institutions and a random sample of nurse/midwife prescribers drawn from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland live register. Ethical approval was obtained from the HEIs to undertake the study. The data was analyzed using SPSS, MAXQDA and content analysis.
Findings
The study found that nurse/midwife prescribing was perceived by the participants to have changed their practice in terms of caring for the whole patient and their awareness of potential dangers in prescribing such as polypharmacy.
Conclusions and Implications
Nurse/midwife prescribing has had a positive effect on the nurse/midwife’s clinical practice and has made them safe prescribers, better able to assess the needs of patients.
Arising from these findings the study identifies a number of issues which are challenges to nurse/midwife prescribing in Ireland such as extent and limitations of practice, the governance structures which continue to create barriers to prescribing. The study hopes to inform nurse/midwife policy in Ireland.
Authors
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Aine McHugh
(University College Dublin)
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Aidan Mulkeen
(Maynooth University)
Topic Area
Adult Healthcare
Session
PD-1 » Practice Development 1 (10:30 - Thursday, 5th November, Seminar Room 0.30)
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