Independent and Supplementary Nurse/Midwife Prescribing

Mode of study: Part time
Credits: 30
Course code: NUR-40047
Contact details: Contact Course Administration Office

Contact email: nursing.cpd@keele.ac.uk
Starting months: September / March

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Course Overview

This module will equip nurses and midwives to prescribe safely, appropriately and cost effectively as independent and supplementary prescribers. This will enhance their roles within clinical practice and enable them to contribute to effective patient outcomes at masters level.

Overview

The module, run at Keele University, will have the added benefit to students with links between the School of Nursing and Midwifery, the School of Pharmacy, and School of Medicine for prescribing education. The module will also be run along the prescribing module for Allied Health Professionals to facilitate inter-professional education.

Module aims

This module has been developed in response to the Department of Health's expansion of prescribing rights for nurses and midwives, to enable them to prescribe a wider range of medications for a broader range of conditions; within independent prescribing - a fuller access of a range of medications within the BNF (British National Formulary) including controlled drugs, for nurses/midwives working within their area of competency and for supplementary prescribing for medicines that form part of an identified/agreed clinical management plan.

The NMC has produced a "Standard for the requirements for education and training for independent/supplementary nurse and midwife prescribing" (2006), and all courses are validated against these. It is being developed at level 7 due to the increased numbers of nurses and midwives now graduating with a degree and wanting to continue their studies into masters level.

The education programme aims to prepare nurses and midwives to prescribe safely, appropriately and cost effectively as an independent/supplementary prescriber.

Entry requirements

Course entry requirements as set out by the NMC, which state that the student must:

Be a registered first level nurse, midwife and/or specialist community public health nurse.

Have at least three years practising experience.

Of these three years, the year preceding entry onto the course must have experience in practice in the clinical field for which they intend to prescribe.

Demonstrable previous ability to study successfully at Level 6.

Have access to a Designated Medical Practitioner as a mentor for the course and signed approval from their manager/Trust prescribing lead.

Some training or experience in health assessment.

For more details refer to the NMC "Standards for preparation and training of nurse and midwife prescribers" (2006).

Module content

policies and procedures of independent and supplementary nurse/midwife prescribing

construction of clinical management plans

consultation, decision making, therapy and referral

influences on and the psychology of prescribing

prescribing in the team context

clinical pharmacology and therapeutics and the effects of co-morbidity

evidenced-based practice and clinical governance in relation to nurse/midwife prescribing

legal, policy and ethical aspects of prescribing

professional accountability and responsibility issues in prescribing

prescribing in the public health context

drug licensing, monitoring procedures and reporting of adverse drug reactions

cost effective prescribing

record keeping

Teaching and assessment

The principal learning and teaching methods used in the module may include:

Lectures, seminars and workshops: The core of each module delivery mode is a series of face to face tutor-led or group-led seminars or workshops.

Web-based learning using the Keele Learning Environment (KLE), Blackboard.

Group work and peer support. All modules use focused group work and class discussions within face to face tutor time

Directed independent study. Most of the study hours for each module comprise independent learning by expecting participants to add depth and breadth to their knowledge of topics, to practice skills and to reflect on critical incidents and their practice.

Please note: In your programme you may sometimes be expected to role play and engage in simulated clinical scenarios with other students, such as the practice and observation of practical skills in physical contact with other students. For some specific practices, this may necessitate modification of dress - e.g., to shorts and t-shirt. These activities will be conducted in a professional, safe, respectful and culturally sensitive way, under the supervision of academic staff, according to a defined protocol. This does not apply to Clinical Pharmacy practice modules as all of these modules are distance learning.