Growth of nurse prescribing competence: facilitators and barriers during education

Aims and objectivesTo describe facilitators and barriers in relation to the growth of nurse prescribing competence from the perspective of the nurses studying in a prescribing programme. BackgroundThe number of nurses enrolled in a nurse prescribing programme is rapidly increasing in Finland. However, few studies on nurse prescribing education are available and therefore research is needed, particularly from the point of view of nurses studying in the programme. DesignThe descriptive, qualitative study used the text of student online learning diaries as data during a 14-month prescribing programme. The sample consisted of 31 nurses, public health nurses or midwives enrolled in a prescribing programme at a university of applied sciences. The data were analysed using the inductive analysis method. ResultsThe growth of nurses' prescribing competence was facilitated by learning clinical examination of the patient, networking with peers, receiving support from the workplace and supervisors, doctors' positive attitude towards nurse prescribing and being able to apply competencies directly to nursing practice. The barriers to the growth of nurses' prescribing competence were unclear job description, incomplete care plans and concerns about how consultation with doctors will be organised and realised. ConclusionsThe results show that, for the purpose of developing the new role and position of nurse prescribers, educators and nursing managers must invest more in staff awareness of nurse prescribing education and also offer more support to nurse prescribers in their workplaces. Relevance to clinical practiceThe results of this study can be used especially in countries where nurse prescribing education is only in the process of being planned or has just been started. Heads of nursing and educators in prescribing education will benefit from the results when creating expanded job descriptions for nurses and supporting networking between students during the period of training.