Module outline
Field name
Title
Code
Level
Credit rating
Pre-requisites
Type of module
Aims
Comments/notes
Prescribing from the Nurse Prescribers' Formulary for Community
Practitioners (NPF) for Registered Nurses without a Specialist
Practice Qualification (V150)
NA3155
6
20
The pre-requisites are set by the NMC
 Must be a registered nurse
 Must intend to practise in an area of clinical need for
prescribing and must be supported by the employer to do
so
 Must be deemed competent by employer in the relevant
area of clinical practice to undertake the programme
(normally minimum of two years)
 Must evidence the ability to study at level 6
 Must evidence appropriate numeracy skills
 Must have a practising community practitioner nurse
prescriber (V150)/nurse independent prescriber (V300)
who is a mentor to act as clinical supervisor
Extensive over one semester
The aim of the module is to prepare nurses without a specialist
practitioner qualification to prescribe safely, appropriately and
cost-effectively from the Nurse Prescribers' Formulary for
Community Practitioners (NPF), accepting personal and
professional responsibility for related decision making and patient
outcomes.
Learning
outcomes/objectives
Content
The learning outcomes are dictated by the NMC (2007) and are
as follows:
On successful completion of the course students will be able to:
1. Assess and consult with patients, clients, parents and
carers*
2. Undertake a thorough history, including medication history
and current medication (including over-the-counter,
alternative and complementary health therapies) to inform
diagnosis*
3. Understand and apply the legislation relevant to the practice
of nurse/midwife prescribing*
4. Critically appraise and use sources of information/advice
and decision support systems in prescribing practice*
5. Understand the influences that can affect prescribing
practice and demonstrate understanding by managing
prescribing practice in an ethical way*
6. Understand and apply knowledge of drug actions in
prescribing practice*
7. Demonstrate an understanding of the roles and relationships
of others involved in prescribing, supplying and
administering medicines
8. Prescribe safely, appropriately and cost-effectively
9. Practise within a framework of professional accountability
and responsibility
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Teaching and learning
strategies
Student support
The above learning outcomes will reflect, where implicated*,
the intended scope of prescribing practice in specialist areas,
such as neonates, infants, children & young people; pregnant
and lactating women; and older people when indicated by the
students area of clinical practice. This will be through specific
theoretical sessions and frameworks and competencies in the
portfolio of clinical practice.
Consultation, decision-making and therapy, including
referral
Influences on, and psychology of, prescribing
Prescribing in a team context
Clinical pharmacology, including the effects of co-morbidity
Evidence-based practice and clinical governance in relation
to nurse prescribing
Legal, policy and ethical aspects
Professional accountability and responsibility
Prescribing in the public health context
Keynote lectures, self-directed learning, critical reflection,
portfolio, case analysis of treatment scenarios, group discussion,
problem-based learning. The students will be encouraged to use
studentcentral.
Teaching, supervision and support by lecturers and personal tutor
(some of this support will be cohort-specific). Support from a
mentor in order to enable the learning outcomes to be achieved in
practice.
Studentcentral and on-line learning materials.
Learning resources are a central service of the university which
provided learning support to all students.
Reading list
The core text for pharmacology is Rang and
Pharmacology. 2012 7th edition. Churchill Livingstone.
Dale’s
Bickley, L.S. 2009 Bates’ Guide to Physical Assessment and
History Taking. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Brookes, D. & A. Smith. 2006 Non-Medical Prescribing in
Healthcare Practice: a Toolkit for Students and Practitioners.
London: Palgrave.
Beauchamp, T.L. & J.E. Childress. 2009 Principles of Biomedical
Ethics. 6th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Courtenay, M. & Griffiths, M (eds) 2010. Medication safety: an
essential guide. Cambridge University press.
Dale, M.M. & Haylett, D.G. 2009 Pharmacology Condensed 2nd
ed. Churchill Livingstone; Elsevier.
Department of Health. 2006. Improving Patients’ Access to
Medicines: A Guide to Implementing Nurse and Pharmacist
Independent Prescribing within the NHS in England. London:
DOH.
Dimond, B. 2008. Legal Aspects of Nursing. 5th ed. Harlow:
Longman.
Dimond, B. 2005. Legal Aspects of Medicines. Quay.
Jones, M. & Guatam, N. 2004 The hands-on guide to practical
prescribing. Blackwell.
Jones, A. 2009 Nurse Prescribing in mental health. WileyBlackwell.
Kumar, P. & Clark, M. (eds). 2009. Clinical Medicine. 7th ed.
Saunders Elsevier.
Jevon, P. Et al (eds). 2010 Medicines Management; a guide for
nurses. Wiley-Blackwell.
Lymn, J., Bowskill, D., Bath-Hextall, F., Knaggs, R. (eds) 2010 the
new Prescriber. An integrated approach to medical and nonmedical prescribing. Wiley-Blackwell.
Merrills, J. & Fisher, J. 2006 Pharmacy law and practice. Elsevier.
Neal, M.J. 2005 Medical Pharmacology at a glance. 5th ed.
London: Blackwell
Porth, C.M. & Matfin, G. 2009. Pathophysiology: concepts of
altered health states. 7th ed. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
Robinson, D. 2002. Clinical Decision-Making, a case study
approach 2nd ed. Lippincott
Rutter, P. 2005 Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment: a guide for
pharmacists and nurses. Elsevier Churchill Livingstone
Swage, T. 2004. Clinical Governance in Health Care Practice. 2nd
ed. Butterworth-Heinemann
Tingle J. & McHale, J. 2007 Law and Nursing. 3rd ed. Elsevier.
Assessment tasks
The assessment regulations will conform to the University of
Brighton General Examination and Assessment Regulations. The
assessment is in two parts:
Theoretical (50% of mark)
1. Written examination consisting of a short answer paper
(pass mark 40%) and a multi-choice question paper (pass
mark 80%) to test pharmacological knowledge and its
application to practice
Practice component (50% of the total mark)
2. Portfolio which demonstrates an understanding of legal and
ethical issues, team-working, record-keeping, writing a
prescription and numeracy, and how these apply to
prescribing practice (pass mark 40%)
All assessments (which overall will test the attainment of the NMC
standards and learning outcomes for the module) must be passed
in order to pass the module.
The NMC requires that nurses undertaking preparation as a
community practitioner nurse prescriber (V150 route) must
complete the programme within one year from the identified start
of the programme. If a registrant has not completed all
assessments within the allocated time, they must undertake the
whole programme again, including all assessments, to ensure
that competence has been maintained. For the purpose of this
standard, interruption means any absence from a programme of
education other than annual leave, statutory and public holidays.
Brief description of
module content and/or
aims (maximum 80
words)
Area examination board
to which module relates
Module team/authors/
coordinator
Semester offered, where
appropriate
Site where delivered
Date of first approval
Date of last revision
Date of approval of this
version
Version number
Replacement for previous
module
Field for which module is
acceptable and status in
that field
Please note that it is ONLY after successful completion of all
elements of the module and it has been annotated on the
professional register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council that
the individual will have the authority to prescribe AND only from
the Nurse Prescribers’ Formulary for Community Practitioners.
This module aims to equip registered nurses, without a Specialist
Practitioner qualification, with the knowledge, skills and
competence to prescribe from the Nurse Prescribers' Formulary
for Community Practitioners (NPF) and to become safe, effective
and cost-effective prescribers within the community team.
BSc(Hons) Professional Practice
Stevan Monkley-Poole, Penny Lindley, Michelle Dryden
Two only (must be completed within a year)
Falmer
January 2009
October 2011
Jan 2012
2
Nursing
Course(s) for which
module is acceptable and
status in course
School home
External examiner
BSc (Hons) Professional Practice
May be taken as a stand alone module
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Louise Hales (2012 – 2015)