FUNDAMENTAL OF
PRESCRIBING MODULES
PRESENTED BY: SHREYA SHARMA
INSTITUTION PRAKASH NURSING COLLEGE
INTRODUCTION AND
BACKGROUND
Prescribing is the main approach to the treatment and prevention of diseases in
healthcare. Medicines are used more than any other intervention by patients to
manage clinical conditions.
The number and complexity of medicines are growing and prescribers are expected to
develop and maintain prescribing competencies.
The prescribing responsibility have extended to other health professional groups who
are able to prescribe
THE PRESCRIPTIVE THE ROLE OF
NURSES AND NURSE
PRACTITIONERS
Nurse practitioners (NPs) have a significant prescriptive role, often comparable to
physicians, and are authorized to prescribe medications, diagnostic tests, and other
treatments for patients. They can work independently or with physician supervision,
depending on the state and their scope of practice.
This role allows them to play a crucial part in managing various health conditions,
improving patient access to care, and reducing healthcare costs.
SCOPE OF PRACTICE
Medication:
• NPs can prescribe medications, including controlled substances, within their state's
legal framework.
• Diagnostic Tests:
• They can order and interpret diagnostic tests like blood tests, X-rays, and
other imaging procedures to aid in diagnosis and treatment.
• Other Therapies:
• NPs can recommend and manage various therapies, including diet changes, exercise
regimens, physical therapy, and other non-pharmacological treatments.
RESPONSIBILITIES
•
• NPs conduct
assessments,
physical examsthorough
including
and medical
•• histories, to identify
diagnose health problems and .
Based
develop
treatmenton their diagnosis,
comprehensive
plans, includingthey
medication
lifestyle prescriptions,
modifications, and
other interventions.
••
NPs provide
patients education
about
medications, their
and to
condition,
treatment
• plan, ensuring patient
understanding and adherence.
• They regularly
progress,
plans adjust
as [Link] patient
treatment
needed, and provide
ongoing
Standards of proficiency (Nursing & Midwifery Council - NMC,
UK)
Nurse prescribers must have sufficient knowledge and competence to
1. Assess a patient’s clinical condition
2. Undertake a through health history that includes medication history
3. Diagnose and decide on management of the presenting condition and whether or not to
prescribe where necessary
4. Identify appropriate products if medication is required
5. Advise the patient on effects and risks
6. Prescribe if patient agrees and as per legal provision
7. Monitor response to medication and lifestyle advice
Aims of nurse prescribing: The proposed prescriptive role of nurse
practitioners
Enables nurse practitioners to provide high clinical standards and meet the patients’ needs
- Provides the prescribers with legal constraints around prescribing with sound principles
and policies of prescribing
- Assists them in maintaining and improving their prescribing competencies
- Empowers nurse prescribers with personal accountability for the prescribed medication
Definition of terms
1. Nurse practitioner: Is one who has successfully completed the educational program prescribed
by INC and is registered with the appropriate nursing council.
2. Prescriptive rights: The prescriptive rights bestowed on the nurse practitioner by way of
regulation and standards set by GOI/INC alongside other related agencies of India for drug control.
3. Independent prescribing: Involves prescribing independently by the one who is responsible and
accountable for patients that includes assessment of undiagnosed or diagnosed conditions and for
decisions about the clinical management required including prescribing particularly by the primary
care practitioner.
4. Shared/collaborative prescribing: Prescribing limited to protocols of specific clinical settings
in consultation/collaboration with medical practitioners
5. Administration of medicines: The act of giving a medicine to a person, which may include some activity
to prepare the medicine to be administered
6. Competencies: The knowledge, skill, and behaviors needed to adequately perform the function.
7. Medicines: Therapeutic goods that are represented to achieve, or are likely to achieve their principal intended
action by pharmacological, chemical, immunological or metabolic means in or on the body of a human.
Schedule medicines (e.g. controlled drugs, prescription - only medicines, pharmacist - only medicines. Pharmacy
- only medicines)
Unscheduled medicines such as OTC medicines such as medicines on open sale that do not require prescription
(e.g. small packets of analgesics, and complementary medicines also called herbal, natural, and alternative
medicines. Complementary medicines include products containing herbs, vitamins, minerals, nutritional
supplements, homoeopathic medicines and bush and traditional medicines). Medicines are also known as
‘medications”
8. Prescribing: An iterative process involving steps of information gathering, clinical decision making,
communication and evaluation that results in the initiation, continuation or cessation of a medicine
