Informal peer support: a key to success for nurse prescribers

A study was conducted in Leicestershire and Rutland (NHS) Healthcare Trust to determine the continuing professional development needs of nurse prescribers. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were applied to the sample frame of 350 nurse prescribers to elicit the most significant factors which have influenced the development of nurse prescribing. The majority of nurse prescribers considered prescribing to be a skill, which is now an essential part of core practice. The study indicated that informal peer support seems to have compensated for the absence of formal clinical supervision. Any development such as nurse prescribing has the added benefit of examining practice from new perspectives. Reflection on how this was achieved highlights important issues as to how the next stage can be even more successful.