APRNs' Confidence to Prescribe
Abstract
Prescribing medications is an integral part of the Nurse Practitioner (NP) role. Review of the literature revealed a considerable amount of evidenced-based practice recommendations related to prescribing with accuracy. Petty (2012) suggested using evidence-based data to drive prescribing decisions; knowing the patient’s medications; involving the patient in the decision making process; being knowledgeable about drug interactions; remembering that every patient is unique and listening to their story; avoiding polypharmacy; and reviewing the need for continuing a medication and monitoring appropriate labs/diagnostics related to usage. The purpose of this study was to explore the confidence level of the NP related to prescribing medications. The survey used to examine prescribing confidence levels was a 10-question survey entitled Measuring Confidence. This study used a quantitative descriptive design with one open ended question. The sample included a convenience sample of NPs from one organization. Results revealed that overall NPs were confident in prescribing practices. Four areas of low confidence included adjusting medications prescribed by other providers, recommendations for alternative therapies, identifying potential drug interactions, and identifying adverse drug interactions. The practitioners identified the need and desire for further education related to prescribing. Recommendations and implications for practice are discussed.