Are Australian Cancer and Palliative Care Nurses Ready to Prescribe Medicines? A National Survey

• Published in: Seminars in oncology nursing 2024-02, Vol.40 (1), p.151578-151578, Article 151578
• Main Authors: Lee, Jane, Han, Chad Yixian, Fox, Amanda, Crawford-Williams, Fiona, Joseph, Ria, Yates, Patsy, Thamm, Carla, Chan, Raymond Javan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cancer care; National survey; Nonmedical prescribing; Nurse prescribing; Palliative care
• ISSN: 0749-2081; 1878-3449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.soncn.2023.151578

Registered nurse prescribing has been put forth, for decades, as an innovative approach to meet growing healthcare needs, particularly in areas of care where medications are essential and highly controlled such as for patients requiring cancer and palliative care. However, the adoption of innovative health delivery models requires acceptance by key stakeholders. This study explores cancer and palliative care nurses’ attitudes toward nurse prescribing and their perceptions about educational requirements for a nurse prescriber. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to Australian nurses between March and July 2021. Data were collected using the Advancing Implementation of Nurse Prescribing in Australia online survey. Pearson χ2 tests were used to examine associations between nurses in cancer care, palliative care, and all other specialties on demographics, attitudes to nurse prescribing, and educational perspectives to become prescribers. Of the 4,424 nurses who participated in the survey, 161 nurses identified they worked in cancer care and 109 in palliative care settings. Although nurses have a common set of core capabilities, their work contexts and their professional experiences shape their attitudes toward practice. Nurses in cancer care were significantly less certain than nurses in palliative care [χ2(2) = 6.68, P = .04], and nurses from all other specialties [χ2(2) =13.87, P =