Patients benefitting from prescriber pathway for nurses
Faster access to medications for patients and extra support for senior clinicians are just some of the benefits Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury’s newest nurse prescribers are seeing as a result of their decision to upskill.
Carly Bramley, Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in gastrointestinal/hepatitis and Diane Reid, Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in diabetes have completed the Registered Nurse Designated Prescribing Pathway to become qualified RN prescribers.
They now have the ability to prescribe certain medications within their speciality, and are seeing the positives effect their newfound knowledge and skill is having on both themselves and their patients.
“It has enabled easier troubleshooting with patients, as I am able to prescribe medications we use for exacerbations of IBD, but also titrating some medications when the patient is first prescribed those drugs, as well as vitamins they may be deficient in, as well as laxative or anti-diarrheals,” said Carly Bramley.
“This has meant the patient receives these medications faster, as well as providing a short interim for being able to talk to the Senior Medical Officer (SMO) I work with, as he is not always readily available, to then provide more long term medications for the patient in the future to try and reduce the exacerbations they might experience.”
Carly decided to pursue the prescriber pathway while completing her postgraduate study, at the suggestion of her Otago University liaison. Diane’s CNS predecessor had been a nurse prescriber and she had already seen the benefits upskilling could bring to her practice. Both received encouragement and support from senior clinicians to go ahead with the training.
Now they are seeing that patient wait times for medications have reduced, and their expanded skillset has helped to ease the burden on senior clinicians, according to Diane Reid.
“I believe my prescribing has also benefitted the SMO, who is part-time, and the obstetricians, freeing them up with fewer interruptions.”
“I think I have increased confidence in myself and the trust of my senior colleagues.”
The two Clinical Nurse Specialists’ ability to prescribe medications also means their patients can avoid visiting their GP for prescriptions, which saves them time and money.
Pictured left to right: Diane Reid, CNS Diabetes and Carly Bramley, CNS Gastrointestinal/Hepatitis
