Beginners in prescribing practice: Experiences and perceptions of nurses and doctors

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Nursing Practice
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Core skills, knowledge, and attitudes for prescribers are key in medical education.
• Novice medical prescribers require mentorship, support, and ongoing education.
• Prescribing practices of new nurse prescribers are less understood compared to doctors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare the experiences and perceptions of nurses and doctors in becoming prescribers.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study using a constructivist narrative approach and multiple case narrative strategy.
• Purposive sampling to select participants illuminating the experiences of beginning to prescribe.
• Individual interviews (26 total, ~1 hour each) were conducted and audio-recorded.

Main Results:

• Common themes emerged across nurse and doctor prescribers: fear and anxiety regarding prescribing responsibility.
• Use of a personal medication list to ensure safe practice, evolving over time.
• Reliance on senior colleagues for prescribing decision-making was a shared strategy.

Conclusions:

• Journeys of nurses and doctors as beginning prescribers are similar, despite differences in educational preparation.
• Expertise in prescribing develops over time, requiring significant effort for novice prescribers.
• Clinical experience, mentorship, and ongoing education are crucial for enhancing prescribing skills, especially for high-risk patients or new medications.