Experiences on Role Transition Among Nurse Prescribers

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Global increase in nurse prescribing necessitates understanding role transitions.
• Transitioning to a nurse prescriber role can be both empowering and stressful.
• Facilitating this transition during education and early practice is vital due to research gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of nurse prescribers during their education and initial period in the role.
• To identify factors influencing the transition from registered nurse to nurse prescriber.

Main Methods:

• Phenomenological study design.
• Involved 14 Finnish nurse prescribers.
• Data collected via semi-structured individual interviews and analyzed using inductive content analysis.

Main Results:

• Four key themes emerged: learning decision-making, meaningfulness of education and early practice, development of expertise, and significant work changes.
• Decision-making and the meaningfulness of learning were central during education.
• Expertise development and changes in work procedures characterized the transition.

Conclusions:

• Nurse prescriber education plays a pivotal role in the transition process.
• Effective utilization of nurse prescribers in healthcare settings is important.
• The transition involves significant professional growth and adaptation.