Implementation of Nurse Prescriptions Throughout the Public Health System in Catalonia (2021-2022)

Overview

Journal Healthcare (Basel)

Specialty Health Services

Date 2024 Jun 26

PMID 38921348

Authors

Rosa Bayot I Escardivol

Enric Mateo-Viladomat

Paola Galbany-Estragues

Mariona Vilar-Pont

Miquel Angel Caldero I Sole

Gerard Mora-Lopez

Raquel Flores-Montoya

Montse Vicente-Belis

Nuria Escoda-Geli

Andrea Molina-Nadal

Olga Canet-Velez

Gloria Jodar-Sola

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Nurses in Catalonia have always prescribed health advice, health products, and medication in line with the professional competency of the discipline. Legislation about nurse prescriptions and the implementation of nurse prescribing varies widely among different countries. This article reports data regarding nurse prescribing in Catalonia in 2021 and 2022.

Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study analyzed data from all care-providing units in Catalonia's integrated public health system.

Results: The number of nurse prescriptions increased from 139,435 in 2021 to 573,822 in 2022, and the number of nurses issuing prescriptions increased from 3604 in 2021 to 5563 in 2022. The proportion of prescriptions for different products was similar in the two years analyzed. Prescriptions for medication increased by 7.5% in 2022.

Conclusions: Nurse prescribing is a recent advance in Catalonia. Despite some difficulties in rollout, the data indicate that this practice is becoming consolidated, as in other European countries.

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