13
Advance nurse prescribing to improve
patient access to medicines
Registered nurse prescribing
The Council developed and commenced consultation on a
framework for registered nurse prescribing both to improve
patient access to health care and medicines in the community,
particularly in rural locations, and to meet the demands of
a growing number of New Zealanders with chronic health
conditions such as asthma and diabetes.
Proposals for two levels of nurse prescribing were developed
following discussions with professional and relevant sector
groups. Building on the success of diabetes nurse prescribing,
a concept of specialist nurse prescribing was proposed. This
would enable nurses who work in collaborative, multidisciplinary
teams in specialty services or in general practice to prescribe for
common conditions such as diabetes, asthma and hypertension.
Views were also sought on enabling nurses in community and
outpatient settings to prescribe a limited number of medicines
for minor ailments and illnesses.
The qualifcations, standards and competencies that nurses
would require for each type of prescribing were described in
the consultation document, which also sought views on the
medicines that nurses should be able to prescribe.
The Council wants to develop a framework for registered
nurse prescribing that improves access to health care for New
Zealanders, meets the Council’s statutory responsibility to
protect public safety, fts with relevant legislation and has the
support of a broad section of the health sector.
Consultation on the scope of practice and qualifcations
for nurse practitioners
Under changes to the Medicines Act 1981, expected to be
passed by Parliament in 2013, nurse practitioners will become
authorised prescribers, alongside doctors, dentists and
midwives. To better align with the Bill, the Council consulted on
changes to the scope of practice and prescribed qualifcations
for nurse practitioners.
At present nurse practitioners can undertake a qualifcation to
become nurse practitioners that does not include prescribing.
They can also apply for registration as nurse practitioners without
prescribing rights. The Council is proposing to change the scope
and the prescribed qualifcations for nurse practitioners so that
they are all able to prescribe.
There was strong support for the Council’s proposals. When
the Medicines Amendment Bill is passed the Council will
make changes to the nurse practitioner scope of practice and
qualifcations to indicate that it is a prescribing scope of practice.
From June 2014 all new nurse practitioners will be registered
with prescribing rights. Those who are already registered without
prescribing rights will have conditions included in their scope of
practice indicating that they may not prescribe.