What makes a model prescriber? A documentary analysis

Abstract

Introduction

In recent years, the authority to prescribe medications in healthcare has expanded to include pharmacists, nurses and Allied Healthcare Professionals. Subsequently, the quantity of guidelines describing appropriate prescribing practice has increased. Despite this, the literature notes a lack of consensus regarding the overall qualities of a good prescriber. The aim of this study was to attempt to define what makes a model prescriber in practice, regardless of professional background.

Methods

A documentary analysis of UK-based and international prescribing practice guidelines was performed. Data analysis was conducted through a constructivist grounded theory approach to enable concepts to be identified from the data itself without the use of pre-defined categories.

Results

A total of 13 guideline documents were analysed. Overall, four core categories of a model prescriber in practice were identified: Knowledgeable: including that of disease and drug properties; Safe: relating to appropriate drug quantities and treatment-monitoring; Good Communicators: with both patients and colleagues; Contemporary: through enhancing knowledge and skills.

Conclusions

These four categories can serve as a definition of a high-level prescriber and as an additional tool for prescribing educators to evaluate the extent their curriculum develops and assesses the core qualities needed by their students to be high-level prescribers in practice.

Keywords:

• Non-medical prescribing
• independent prescribing
• prescribing practice

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Figure 1. Flowchart of guideline document selection.

Figure 2. Core categories of a Model Prescriber.

Table 1. Documentary analysis inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Usmaan Omer

Usmaan Omer, MSc, BSc, is a PhD candidate at the Health Education Professions Unit, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, U.K.

Martin Veysey

Martin Veysey, MD, is the Programme Director of the Hull York Medical School MBBS Programme. His research interests include medical education, molecular nutrition, colorectal cancer and luminal gastrointestinal disease.

Paul Crampton

Paul Crampton, PhD, MSc, FHEA, BSc (Hons), AFHEA is the Programme Director for the MSc, Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate in Health Professions Education and a Lecturer in Health Professions Education at the Hull York Medical School.

Gabrielle Finn

Gabrielle Finn, PhD, BSc, PGCTLHE, PGDipELM, FAS, FHEA, NTF is Professor of Medical Education and Director of the Health Professions Education Unit Hull York Medical School, University of York. Her research interests include curriculum development, gender discrimination, professionalism and pedagogic approaches.