Abstract:

Introduction:
Prescribing medicines is a traditional role of medical doctors. However many countries empowered to perform these competences other medical professions as nurses, midwifes, physiotherapists or pharmacists.

Aim:
The aim of study is an attempt to asses attitudes of nursing and physiotherapy students towards non-medical prescribing.

Material and methods:
The qualitative focus group study have been performed in group of 7 students in October 2017. All of participants gave the informed consent to take part in the study. The interview was recorded and the transcript have been prepared. The interview had a semi-structured form. It covered following issues: right to diagnose, right to refer patient to diagnostic tests and other medical professions, independent and supplementary prescribing.

Results:
From 7 participants, 6 was nurses and 1 was a physiotherapist. All of participants admitted that they use medicines in their everyday practice as nurse of physiotherapist. Participants find independent nurse prescribing as a difficult issue. One participant told, that independent non-medical prescribing is not the competence of nurse or physiotherapist. On the other hand, other participant point that it can make its job easier, faster and more comfortable. All of participants agreed, that independent non-medical prescribing could be a good solution, but in the future; not now for sure.

Conclusions:
Nursing and physiotherapy students have very different opinions regarding non-medical prescribing. Students do not find prescribing medicines as their professional role, but they acknowledge its advantages. In students opinion, non-medical prescribing can be a good solution in the future.

Keywords:

Medical professions, prescribing, nurses, physiotherapists.