Investigating the progress of community matron prescribing
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Investigating the progress of community matron prescribing

Melanie Hart Non-medical prescribing and governance lead, Birmingham Community Health Care

Independent prescribing is a relatively new development in nursing. Melanie Hart reports on research into its safety and effectiveness

Aim To evaluate the prescribing decisions of community matrons using a validated tool and answer the question: is community matron independent nurse prescribing as safe and effective as that of GPs in terms of clinical appropriateness and cost effectiveness?

Method A mixed-methods, non-experimental cross-sectional retrospective study of the prescribing decisions of all community matrons at a trust using the medication appropriateness index. A total of 75 prescriptions were analysed and qualitative data were obtained through five consultations. Correlations between prescribing activity and demographic data of community matrons were also analysed.

Findings The matrons were prescribing appropriately and compared favourably to the published data on GP prescribing. No correlations between inappropriate prescribing and the individual community matron’s demographic data were found.

Conclusion Community matrons were prescribing safely and effectively in the majority of cases.

Primary Health Care. 23, 2, 26-31. doi: 10.7748/phc2013.03.23.2.26.e712

Correspondence

melanie.hart@nhs.net

Conflict of interest

None declared

Peer review

This article has been subject to double blind peer review

Received: 22 October 2012

Accepted: 07 November 2012

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