Comparing nurses' and doctors' prescribing habits
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Background:
Nurses' prescribing activity in a mental health trust prompted examination of whether nurse prescribers replicate their mentors' prescribing habits.
Aim:
To explore nurses' and medical mentors' prescribing habits to inform nurse-prescribing strategy.
Method:
The trust's 14 most-active nurse prescribers and nine of their medical mentors were interviewed. Transcripts underwent phenomenological analysis.
Results:
64 themes emerged showing nurses and doctors approach prescribing differently. Themes were grouped into four categories.
Discussion:
Nurse prescribers tend to have greater holistic awareness of patients but are also more risk averse.
Conclusion:
Greater strategic vision is required to incentivise nurse prescribing; on its current trajectory it will not meet identified prescribing needs.
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Factual:
The following points emphasize the significance of upholding accurate and unbiased documentation in healthcare.