The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) says Health Ministers must ensure a new prescribing power for registered nurses is implemented smoothly and consistently across all jurisdictions, with comprehensive support from all parts of the healthcare sector.
The regulatory standard that will enable registered nurses to prescribe in partnership with nurse practitioners and medical practitioners takes effect today, reflecting a practice that is already in place in other countries, including the UK and New Zealand.
It is one of the biggest changes for the nursing profession in decades and has the potential to revolutionise the delivery of quality, efficient, and accessible care.
“We congratulate Health Ministers on agreeing to this change in December last year, and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers for driving it over many, many years,” Australian College of Nursing Chief Nursing Officer, Frances Rice said.
“But we now need the systemic support that will enable this change to truly bring about improvements for people needing health care.”
Registered nurses who receive this endorsement will only be qualified to prescribe (and administer, obtain, possess, and supply) in partnership with an authorised prescriber (a nurse practitioner or a medical practitioner), in a model known as ‘partnership prescribing’.
“There will need to be a concerted effort to ensure strong collaboration between employers, who will have to agree to the partnership arrangement; and authorised health practitioners to support and enable designated registered nurse prescribers to take up this opportunity,” said Ms Rice.
This includes:
- A communications campaign to ensure awareness of this change across the healthcare sector and the public,
- Education for employers and authorised health practitioners on supervising and being in a partnership arrangement with a registered nurse,
- Access to Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme subsidies for prescriptions by registered nurse prescribers.
Depending on the setting they work in, registered nurses are presently able to initiate medications from an extremely limited range of medicines, including mild analgesia and laxatives.
“This hinders registered nurses’ ability to provide comprehensive care to their patients,” Ms Rice said.
This new standard will enable registered nurses to prescribe from a broader range of medications, defined by a prescribing agreement with their prescribing partner.
This will be defined by their scope of practice, after they complete the requisite education, period of supervision, and attain the endorsement from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).
“This change means that, for example, a registered nurse prescriber may be able to support a person adjust their diabetes medication, instead of that person having to find a scarce appointment to see a GP to do so.
“This increases access to care, and boosts healthcare efficiency by allowing a registered nurse to work to the top of their scope. Further, it takes pressure off nurse practitioners and medical practitioners and allows them to focus on more complex cases.
“ACN looks forward to working with the NMBA, Governments and all stakeholders to support the implementation of this exciting change,” Ms Rice said.
More information: https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards/Endorsement-for-scheduled-medicines-designated-RN-prescriber.aspx
Contact
e: acn.media@acn.edu.au
t: (02) 9745 7566
