E hara tāku toa i te toa takitahi, he toa takitini
My strength is not as an individual but as a collective
Nurse prescribing in New Zealand isn’t new. Our highly qualified nurse practitioners have been prescribing medicine since 2001.
Today, a wider range of registered nurses (RNs) can undertake the additional education, training and supervision required by the Nursing Council of New Zealand to become an RN prescriber. RN prescribers can prescribe SOME medicines.
The number of RN prescribers in the South Island is expected to increase by around 30 each year to reach approximately 240 by 2025. This means easier access to the medicines and health care we need, with the same high levels of safety.
There are three levels of prescribing authority for nurses and each level has its own educational requirements:
You can check the Nursing Council of New Zealand register to see if and what a nurse is authorised to prescribe.
In the South Island, RN prescribing is supported as part of the collaborative team environment to meet identified population health needs.
The South Island RN Prescribing Group, which comprises representatives from the five South Island DHBs, primary health organisations, New Zealand Nurses Organisation, University of Otago and Ara Institute of Canterbury, was established to develop an agreed South Island approach to RN prescribing.
The following two documents were developed by the group and endorsed by the South Island directors of nursing:
These two documents will help inform how RN prescribing is implemented in local areas.
Kate Norris
Senior Lecturer, Nursing ARA Institute of Canterbury
Sandy McLean-Cooper
Nurse Consultant, Nelson Marlborough DHB
Nola Rochford
Nurse Practitioner, West Coast DHB
Anna Wheeler
Associate Director of Nursing, South Canterbury DHB
Jane Wilson
Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Southern DHB
Beverley Burrell
Senior Lecturer Centre for PG Nursing, University of Otago
Julia Anderson
Professional Advisor NZNO
Deb Gillon
Nurse Practitioner, Community/University of Otago
Chris Andrews
Director of Primary Healthcare Nursing, Nelson Marlborough
Michael McIlhone
Director of Nursing, Pegasus Health
Wendy Finlay
Director of Nursing – Primary Care, WellSouth
Kate Rawlings
Programme Director, South Island Workforce Development Hub
Please discuss this with your nurse leader and check the South Island framework and policy.
For more information about RN prescribing in the South Island, contact: kate.rawlings@siapo.health.nz
Is a sustainable South Island health and disability system – best for people, best for system.
We are focused on keeping people well and providing equitable and timely access to safe, effective, high-quality services, as close to people’s homes as possible.
PO Box 1600, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
