Nurse prescribing in a day-care dermatology unit

A study carried out in an NHS trust showed that its dermatology nurses could safely undertake nurse prescribing. To be effective a formal system of nurse prescribing is required. This involves the compilation of a formulary for the nurse prescribers and the development of relevant treatment protocols. The introduction of nurse prescribing in a day-care unit led to improvements in the dermatology services available to the local population.