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This Level 7 module is designed to enable nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses to develop the necessary knowledge, skills and attributes to demonstrate a critical, evidence−based approach to safe, appropriate and cost−effective practice as an independent/supplementary prescriber, in partnership with members of the multi−disciplinary prescribing team.

Students will be facilitated in the critical review and analysis of systematic approaches to assessment and diagnosis, drug actions and the use of evidence−based sources to inform prescribing practice, including the decision not to prescribe.

The legal and professional frameworks underpinning prescribing practice will be analysed critically to ensure governance of their prescribing practice and promote safe and accountable practice in team members.

The module involves a blended learning approach incorporating the University's managed learning environment, StudyNet. Inter−professional learning occurs with prescribing students from the allied health professions and pharmacist prescribing students.

Must be registered on the Specialist Community Nursing Programme (Integrated Prescribing Pathway)

The intended learning outcomes of this module will be achieved through a combination of theoretical and practice−based learning linked to the following defined topic areas.

Students will be actively encouraged to explore and integrate theoretical knowledge and understanding derived from practice to adopt a critical and analytical stance to all phases of the prescribing process.

The curriculum is organised around the following themes: Systematic approaches to assessment and diagnosis. Pharmacology and prescribing practice. Medicines' optimisation and governance frameworks in independent and supplementary prescribing practice.

Supervised practice, involving a period of 90 hours engaged in practice learning.

The content will include:

• Assessment and diagnostic skills and the interpretation of clinical indicators.
• Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Drug actions relevant to area of clinical expertise.
• Licensing and monitoring of medications including mechanisms for the reporting of adverse reactions.
•  Influences on prescribing.
• Evidence based management strategies including non−pharmacological interventions.
•  Effective and responsible partnership working with patients/carers, members of the multidisciplinary prescribing team and the pharmaceutical industry.
• Critical examination of the governance and medicines' optimisation frameworks associated with nurse and midwife prescribing.