Patient group directions in nurse-led sexual health clinics

Abstract

The use of patient group directions resulted in a reduced number of prescriptions being required from doctors, thus saving time for them, the nurses and patients.

A comparison between independent nurse prescribing and patient group directions in the safety and appropriateness of medication provision in United Kingdom sexual health services: A mixed methods study

“…Existing evidence surrounding patient group direction application within clinical practice is scarce; however, patient group directions have been reported to support safe appropriate medication provision (Brooks et al, 2003;Baileff, 2007;Williams and Knox, 2011). Nevertheless, there have been reports of patient group direction use outside of the patient group directions" scope of practice (Miles et al, 2001;Black and Dawood, 2013).…”

“…Despite the exponential growth of nurses delivering medication, in the United Kingdom and internationally, there is only limited evidence that has specifically explored safety and appropriateness of medicines provision by nurses. Furthermore, despite the adoption of increasingly autonomous roles by nurses working in sexual health (Department of Health, 2013) and sexual health being an area in which both nurse prescribers and patient group directions are routinely used (Miles et al, 2001;Black, 2012) no research has explored the safety and appropriateness of medicines provision by nurses within this setting.…”

Multi-disciplinary perceptions of patient group directions as a replacement for the pro re nata prescribing of antipsychotic medications in acute mental health settings

“…There has been widespread reporting on the use and development of PGDs in a variety of clinical practice in the NHS (Jones 2002, NHS 2010), and specific reported examples in mental health services (Department of Health 2005a). However, few studies have been published which have examined staff perceptions of PGDs or systematically evaluated their use (Miles et al. 2001, Bissell et al.…”

Patient group directions: The application and integration of knowledge in advancing nursing practice

“…[25] Moreover, it meant that patients no longer had to wait for the appropriate care to be provided and as a consequence their care was streamlined by ensuring that they receive the right care, at the right time and by the right person. [26,27] However, we were always drawn back to the legal and ethical domain that governs their practice, ever mindful of the challenges to prove high levels of knowledge and competence as well as the professional considerations especially when using PGD's. [28,29] For example those rooted in the nursing Code of Professional Conduct [30] together with the Guidelines for the Administration of Medicines [31] and the Royal College of Nursing's [25] guidance for the use of PGD's.…”