Mental health nurse prescribing: A qualitative, systematic review

The aim of the present qualitative, systematic review was to identify andsummarize qualitative research that focussed on mental health nurse prescribing, synthesizefindings, and outline key themes discerned. In November 2016, a systematic search was conductedfor primary studies of the electronic databases PubMed, Excerpta Medica, (Embase), CumulativeIndex to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, and PsycINFO. Of the 101 papersidentified through the search strategy, 12 qualitative studies met the review inclusion criteria.These studies included perspectives from nurses, doctors, and patients/clients regarding theirattitudes about, and experiences of, nurse prescribing. Three themes emerged from the review:(i) patient-centred care; (ii) professional role; and (iii) professional support. Nurse prescribersembrace a patient-centred approach, providing timely and effective medication management.Adequate education and continuing professional development inclusive of clinical supervisionenable competency development in nurse prescribing, supportive professional relationships, andpatient safety. Further research is necessary to establish safety and demonstrate enhanced clinicaloutcomes from mental health nurse prescribing