7.6.2 The role of teams and relationships in nurse prescribing in acute and chronic pain (106)

Molly Courtenay, Professor Prescribing and Medicines Management, School of Health and Social Care, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom Co authors: K Stenner m.courtenay@reading.ac.uk

Abstract:

Background:

A recent addition to the role of the specialist pain nurse is prescribing. The relationship nurse prescribers have with other healthcare professionals is of central importance to their prescribing role (Latter et al 2005). There is no evidence available specifically exploring how nurse prescribing in pain affects relationships and team working.

Aim:

To explore the views of nurses working with patients in pain, on the adoption of the role of prescribing on their practice and effects on relationships and team working.

Method:

Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the views of a purposive sample of 26 specialist pain nurses (and qualified prescribers’), working in a variety of clinical settings and prescribing for acute and chronic pain. Data was collected between November 2006 and April 2007. A thematic analysis was conducted on the interview data.

Results:

Nurses continuously communicated their prescribing rationale to doctors to educate them and increase their trust with regards to prescribing decisions. They believed that prescribing encouraged sharing of knowledge across boundaries, and collaborative working within wider teams. This provided nurses with an understanding of the wider remit of pain and its management. Nurses reported that there were misunderstandings amongst members of the healthcare team with regards to nurse prescribing.

Discussion:

Relationships with doctors and other health professionals are, to a large extent, two-way relationships by which nurses both share and gain knowledge and expertise about prescribing. Infrastructures necessary to support nurse prescribing within organisations, including clinical supervision, prescribing policy, access to CPD and peer support networks, whilst deemed to be important, were found to be inconsistent.

Conclusion:

Good relationships with doctors, peers and wider teams are essential for supporting effective nurse prescribing, as is an understanding of the role of the nurse prescriber by other members of the healthcare team.

Biography:

Molly is a qualified nurse with a background in Intensive Care. During recent years she has worked within nurse education and is presently the Professor of Prescribing and Medicines Management at Reading University. Molly has undertaken a number of studies in the area of nurse prescribing including research for the Department of Health. She is currently undertaking studies in the areas of nurse prescribing in diabetes, dermatology, paediatrics and pain. Molly has produced many publications (including 6 books) and is frequently invited to speak at conference both at a national and international level. She is currently on secondment to the Royal College of Nursing as their Joint National Prescribing Adviser.