Prescriptive authority for nurse practitioners: a comparative study of professional attitudes

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Policy
• Nursing Practice
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Nurse practitioners (NPs) are increasingly involved in patient care.
• The scope of practice for NPs, including prescriptive authority, is a key area of healthcare policy debate.
• Understanding provider attitudes is crucial for effective policy implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the perspectives of Wyoming physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and nurse practitioners regarding prescriptive authority for NPs.
• To identify areas of consensus and disagreement among these professional groups.

Main Methods:

• A survey-based assessment was conducted.
• Attitudes of physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and nurse practitioners in Wyoming were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Overall support for granting prescriptive authority to NPs was mixed.
• Physicians expressed the strongest disagreement with granting NPs prescriptive authority.
• All surveyed groups supported limitations, including a specific drug formulary, collaborative regulation, and mandatory certification and continuing education.

Conclusions:

• While there is division on full prescriptive authority, consensus exists on implementing safeguards.
• Regulation, formulary limitations, and continuing education are key considerations for NP prescribing.
• Future policy should address these concerns to ensure safe and effective NP practice expansion.