Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
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Nurse Prescribing of Antibiotics: the path of most resistance?
Marie Cameron, MSc, R.N.T., PG Cert (HELT), BSc(Hons), R.G.N.
The Robert Gordon University
Faculty of Health and Social Care
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Garthdee Road
ABERDEEN
AB10 7QG
Tel: +44 (0)1224 262918
Fax: +44 (0)1224 262630
Email: m.cameron-n@rgu.ac.uk
Background – Since 2001 a group of specially trained UK nurses
have been allowed to prescribe a limited selection of oral and topical
antibiotics for selected conditions. Theoretically at least, this means
that nurses within Grampian may be contributing to the problems of
over-prescribing and inappropriate prescribing of these drugs. This,
in turn, may impact on the development of antibiotic resistance.
Aim - To describe antibiotic prescribing practices of primary care
Extended Nurse Prescribers in Grampian.
Methodology - Quantitative - Anonymous, self-completed, postal
questionnaire of all regional Extended Nurse Prescribers, informed
by a preliminary content-setting focus group.
Analysis – Descriptive statistics (thematic analysis of focus group).
Key Findings – Response rate was 74% (35/47) and 57% (20) of
respondents were practice nurses. Eighty eight percent (28) of
respondents were active prescribers, and urinary tract infections
(UTIs) were the condition for which antibiotics was most often
prescribed, with the majority (65%/20) of prescribing for UTIs done
on the basis of symptoms alone. Almost 60% of respondents did
not feel their ENP course had prepared them for antibiotic
prescribing, and 67% (10) of those who answered would like to see
more specific information about prescribing for common conditions
added to the course. Thirty percent (10) of respondents did not
think that resistance was a problem in their work area, but 97%
(34) thought that decreasing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing
would lead to a decrease in antibiotic resistance.
Conclusions – There is considerable disparity in antibiotic
prescribing practices, with current guidelines being adhered to in
some cases (bacterial vaginosis) but not always in others (otitis
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