The occupational profile and associated training needs of the family planning nurse prescriber.

The issue of nurses prescribing drugs is highly topical yet there remains no agreement on the occupational profile of the nurse prescriber. This article seeks to contribute to the ongoing discussion of the prerequisites educational level and educational requirements of the family planning (FP) nurse prescriber. All registered FP nurses of the National Association of Nurses for Contraception and Sexual Health in England and Wales were sent a training needs analysis questionnaire via a postal survey. Only 388 of the 1142 questionnaires were returned. Ratings were compared which provided an indicative profile of the nurse as a FP prescriber and a list of training needs to achieve this status. Results indicated that a significant number of respondents were interested in becoming nurse prescribers and that the role of the job is not seen exclusively in terms of prescribing. The top-rated skills of the FP nurse prescriber fit competencies outlined for advanced nursing practice reinforcing the argument that the role of the nurse prescriber is commensurate with that of the nurse practitioner. The findings of this study are compatible with government recommendations that nurses with additional qualifications such as specialist practitioners clinical nurse specialists nurse consultants and nurse practitioners should be priority nominees for training as nurse prescribers.