Jeanette, I share your views and support the benefits of nurse prescribing courses. Writing the prescription is not the be all and end all of prescribing. The knowledge base informing the rationale of treatment regimens improves clinical care & management and can enhance patient understanding and concordance when used effectively. I'm certainly glad to have completed the course.
Cath Evans (Student Health Services - LJMU)
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeanette Hogg [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 26 October 2004 10:49
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: prescribing
Thanks to everyone for your responses about prescribing. I appreciate
everyone's view on this but would just like to highlight a few issues.
Prescribing is not just about writing a script - that's the easy bit. If
its one thing that the course taught me its that we should keep focus on
our nursing clinical skills and knowledge. During consultation if we advise
regarding medication, treatment options and or distribute under PGD's or
standing orders we are effectively prescribing and are accountable for
those decisions and the advice given to the patient. So we should be
keeping up to date with drugs and medications that we come across as
advsiors/nurses. The course greatly enhanced my understanding of how
medicines affect patient outcomes, improved my consultation skills by an
increased knowledge into pharmocology and pharmacokinetics. How many
patient's do we see on pain control, antidepressants etc. Do we really know
enough about that treatment and it's effects to aid our decisions on how
and when clients will respond effectively and acheive a return to good
health? We are community/primary care workers in many ways and I have a far
better rappor with GP's because I understand to some extent their treatment
regimes and options for their patients and work with them.
When do we need an occupational physician? Usually when diagnosis,
medicines, investigations etc are involved in case management.I don't think
we can categorically say that prescribing is not for us as advisors because
if we do we are missing out on the development of nursing roles which are
rapidly moving forward in terms of clinical skills that we rely on
physicians for. So to dismiss this development will leave us behind in the
nursing world. There are many experienced and highly clinically skilled
nurse practitioners out there who work in primary care and could very
easily move into occupational health. Its not about replacing physicians,
but I do feel we need to keep up and be more effective - a qualification in
Occhealth alone may not be enough. Medicines management is part of that
nursing even in an advisory capacity. Just food for thought.
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