Continuing professional education

Prescribing from the Community Practitioners Formulary for Registered Nurses without a Specialist Practice Qualification

NA6153 (V150), 20 credits - level 6

Roles within the community setting are changing and evolving with specialist practitioners (Specialist Community Public Health Nurses – School Nurses and Health Visitors, Community Specialist Practice Nurses – District Nurses, Community Mental Health Nurses and General Practice Nurses) increasingly supervising and coordinating care while community staff nurses deliver care directly to patients. It is therefore sensible that community staff nurses should be able to prescribe from the Community Nurse Formulary in order to improve speed of treatment and therefore patient care. Successful completion of this module attracts 20 level 6 credits which can contribute towards the Professional Practice BSc(Hons).

The module, which consists of 11 days of study taken within the Independent and Supplementary Prescribing Programme and a minimum of 65 hrs in practice supervised by either a practising community nurse prescriber (V100/150) or Nurse Independent Prescriber (V300) includes:

• Consultation, decision-making and therapy, including referral
• Influences on, and psychology of, prescribing
• Prescribing in a team context
• Clinical pharmacology, including the effects of co-morbidity
• Evidence-based practice and clinical governance in relation to nurse prescribing
• Legal, policy and ethical aspects
• Professional accountability and responsibility
• Prescribing in the public health context

The module runs only in semester two of the academic year (end of January/beginning of February)

• Must be a registered nurse
• Must intend to practise in an area of clinical need for prescribing and must be supported by the employer to do so
• Must be deemed competent by employer in the relevant area of practice to undertake the programme (normally minimum of two years)
• Must demonstrate the ability to study at level 6
• Must demonstrate appropriate numeracy skills
• Must have identified a practising community practitioner nurse prescriber (V100/150) or Nurse Independent Prescriber (V300) as supervisor

The assessment is in three elements:

• A written examination to test knowledge of prescribing practice and
• A multi-choice questions to test pharmacological knowledge and its application to practice (50% of total mark)
• Portfolio which demonstrates an understanding of legal and ethical issues, team-working, record-keeping, prescription writing and numeracy, and how these apply to prescribing practice (50% of total mark)

All components must be passed

Students must discuss their application with line managers and non-medical prescribing lead and application forms are available from our 'How to apply' page.

Places are subject to the approval of the non-medical prescribing lead and the university.

As part of the application process a tripartite meeting between the module lead or representative, the applicant and the proposed designated medical supervisor will be organised. This is to provide both parties with the necessary information and advice to fully appreciate the demands of the module and the role being undertaken.

DO NOT USE ANY OTHER FORM TO APPLY FOR THESE MODULES IT WILL DELAY YOUR APPLICATION BEING CONSIDERED.

THERE IS ONLY ONE INTAKE PER ACADEMIC YEAR.

The closing date for receipt of the application form at the university for the academic year (the cohort runs ONLY from February of that academic year) is 30 November.

Please refer to Module Choices form for dates and sessions (tbc)

For further information please contact the module administrator: