An Evaluation of the Expansion of Nurse Prescribing in Scotland
Nurse prescribers in Scotland can now prescribe a range of controlled drugs for specific medical conditions. This research project which is summarised below provides an evaluation of the extension of nurse prescribing following the introduction of new legislation in 2001.
ANNEX 16 CASE STUDY SETTINGS & PARTICIPANTS
1. Case Study settings and participants
The table below outlines the case study settings, which were chosen from self-selecting Nurse Prescribers and matched against the project criteria.
Consistent with our protocol on the targeted participant groups, the following people agreed to take part in the case studies and were interviewed at each site.
Primary Care settings
CS1 - GP practice within semi-rural setting
Role |
Type |
Nurse Prescriber 1 |
Community Midwife |
Nurse Prescriber 2/Team Leader |
Integrated Team Leader/District Nursing Sister |
Nurse Prescriber 3 |
Community Nurse |
Nurse Prescriber 4 |
Treatment room/ community Nurse |
Non-prescribing Nurse |
Community Midwife |
GP |
GP principal trainer - NP mentor |
GP |
GP principal - NP mentor |
Manager |
Practice Manager |
Pharmacist |
Pharmacy Manager (local pharmacy) (on pharmacy prescribing course) |
Patient 1 |
Prescribing experience through pregnancy - under care of Nurse Prescriber 1 |
Patient 2 |
Complex health needs - paralysis. Experience of Nurse prescribing through community nursing (Nurse Prescribers 2-4) |
Carer |
Linked to patient 2 - husband. |
CS 2 - GP practice within rural & remote setting
Role |
Type |
Nurse Prescriber 1 |
District Nurse & Midwife |
Nurse Prescriber 2/ Manager |
District Nurse/Midwife/Family Planning Nurse/Team Leader |
Non-prescribing Nurse |
Community Staff Nurse |
GP |
Single-handed practice GP - NP mentor |
Pharmacist |
Retail Pharmacy - proprietor |
Patient & Carer (dual role) |
Complex health needs - recent Myocardial Infarction and carer for husband with diabetes and recent stroke. |
Patient 2 |
Routine contact with Nurse Prescribers for contraception |
Patient 3 |
Routine contact with GP for anti-hypertensive & thyroid medication |
CS 3 - GP practice within city
Role |
Type |
Nurse Prescriber 1 |
Nurse Practitioner |
Nurse Prescriber 2 |
Practice Nursing Sister/Respiratory Nurse Specialist |
Non-prescribing Nurse |
Practice Nurse |
GP |
GP |
Pharmacist |
Practice Pharmacist (on pharmacy prescribing course) |
Manager |
Practice Manager |
Patient 1 |
Asthmatic |
Patient 2 |
Practice patient |
Patient 3 |
Practice patient |
Acute Care settings
CS4 - Nurse-Led Specialist Service within City
Role |
Type |
Nurse Prescriber 1/Team Leader |
Team Leader for the service |
Nurse Prescriber 2 |
Nurse specialist |
Non-prescribing Nurse |
Rehabilitation Nurse |
Hospital based medical staff |
Consultant |
Stakeholder |
Managed Clinical Network Manager |
Pharmacist |
Practice pharmacist associated with service patients (on pharmacy prescribing course) - same pharmacist as in case study 3. |
Patient 1 |
Patient under care of Service |
Patient 2 |
Patient under care of Service |
CS5 - Community Hospital within rural & remote setting
Role |
Type |
Nurse Prescriber 1 |
Staff Nurse |
Nurse Prescriber 2 (awaiting course result - not yet qualified) |
Staff Nurse |
Nurse Prescriber 3 |
Night Sister |
Nurse Prescriber 4/ Manager |
Charge Nurse |
Non-prescribing Nurse |
Staff Nurse |
GP/Stakeholder |
GP (mentor) and clinical director for CHP |
Pharmacist |
Community Hospitals Pharmacist |
Patient 1 |
In-patient - arthritic & associated complications |
Patient 2 |
In patient - motor neurone disease |
Carer |
Linked to patient 2 - wife |
CS 6 - A & E department within city
Role |
Type |
Nurse Prescriber 1 |
Emergency Nurse Practitioner/Charge Nurse |
Nurse Prescriber 2/team leader |
Senior Charge Nurse/Lead Emergency Nurse Practitioner |
Nurse Prescriber 3 |
Charge Nurse/Emergency Nurse Practitioner |
Non-prescribing Nurse |
Senior Staff Nurse |
Hospital based medical staff |
A&E consultant |
Pharmacist |
Principle Pharmacist for A&E and Musculo-Skeletal |
Patient 1 |
A&E patient |
Patient 2 |
A&E patient |
Patient 3 |
A&E patient |
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