Nurse prescribing: the New Zealand context

Area of Science:

• Health Policy
• Nursing Education
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Nurse prescribing has been introduced in New Zealand, extending to Nurse Practitioners and other nursing groups.
• Concerns exist regarding the knowledge, skills, patient safety, and educational preparation required for safe prescribing.
• International comparisons highlight similar concerns in countries where nurses are authorized to prescribe.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the introduction of nurse prescribing in New Zealand.
• To investigate concerns about practitioner knowledge, skills, and patient safety.
• To compare New Zealand's experiences with other countries regarding nurse prescribing.

Main Methods:

• Comparative policy analysis of nurse prescribing regulations and educational standards.
• Review of criticisms and concerns raised in New Zealand and internationally.
• Examination of educational models for preparing nurses and other health professionals for prescribing roles.

Main Results:

• New Zealand mandates rigorous Master's degree preparation for Nurse Practitioners in pharmacology and biological sciences.
• Despite stringent preparation, New Zealand faces criticisms on knowledge, patient safety, and health system impacts, mirroring UK concerns.
• The 'gold standard' medical education model for prescribing is critiqued; alternative models are supported for nurses and other professions.

Conclusions:

• Extended prescribing rights for nurses and other health professions are unlikely to be reversed.
• Educational preparation models for midwives and nurses in New Zealand will influence future professional prescribing education.
• The focus should shift from debating the extension of prescribing authority to optimizing practitioner preparation and support for safe prescribing.