Supplementary prescribing: relationships between nurses and psychiatrists on hospital psychiatric wards

The purpose of this study was to explore some of the issues for the implementation of supplementary prescribing for acute hospital care. The study design was the use of focus group methodology. In total, 19 nurses and 7 psychiatrists joined 1 of 6 focus groups held on the psychiatric unit. The data were analyzed using a modified grounded theory technique. In the study to be reported here, nurses and psychiatrists described the potential for different ways of working to emerge on acute psychiatric wards. Two major themes were identified: supplementary prescribing bringing about different ways of influencing decisions and controlling professional work; nurses and psychiatrists developing different types of relationships. Findings suggest an overall positive acceptance for supplementary prescribing, but for greater attention to be placed on the nature of relationships between nurses and psychiatrists. Implications for practice include the impact on new roles for nurses and psychiatrists and how this new form of relationship can best serve patients.