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Opinions about district nurses prescribing
S Wilhelmsson1, A C Ek, I Akerlind
1Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. susan.wilhelmsson@hul.liu.se
Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences
|November 28, 2002
Summary
District nurses (DNs) in Sweden hold more positive views on nurse prescribing than general practitioners (GPs). GP opinions appear influenced by professional solidarity rather than patient care concerns.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Practice
- Healthcare Policy
Background:
- Nurse prescribing is an evolving area in healthcare.
- Understanding healthcare professionals' opinions is crucial for policy development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare opinions of district nurses (DNs) and general practitioners (GPs) on nurse prescribing in Sweden.
- To identify factors influencing these opinions, including background and psychosocial working conditions.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire assessing psychosocial working conditions and including seven statements on DNs prescribing was distributed.
- The study included 554 DNs and 566 GPs, achieving an 83% participation rate.
Main Results:
- District nurses (DNs) expressed significantly more positive opinions regarding nurse prescribing compared to general practitioners (GPs).
- For DNs, positive opinions correlated with traditional primary care organization, younger age (<50), good social support, and high workload.
- For GPs, positive opinions were linked to traditional primary care, being male, and good social support.
- Multiple regression analysis identified occupation and organization as independent predictors of overall opinion scores.
Conclusions:
- A strong professional solidarity among GPs was observed, potentially driven by professional concerns over patient care.
- Occupation and organizational factors significantly influence views on nurse prescribing.