Prescriptions

Think there are 2 issues with what that nurse did. She actually prescribed not just wrote a prescription. What i mean is she decided what the patient needed. She must also have forged the dentists signature. Bit more serious than writing a script under dentists supervision.

There was an artical in the GDC gazett awhile back of a nurse who lost her registration due to writing precriptions out for a patient, while her Dentist was off, our practice allows only the Dentists to write any prescriptions out to be on the safe side.

"200"? that sounds pulled out of thin air too me.

I was asked the other day why cant dental nurses write out or prescribe Rx like nurse practionoers can. We all work in a similar line of work. The dentist wasnt present at the time. I just told him due to our GDC guidelines we are not allowed. too.

I'm playing safe here. as far as I'm concerned we need to protect our GDC regstration, god forbid those Rx got out signed or otherwise, would the dentist take the rap for his nurse if questioned?, I doubt it very much. Most dentists would always look out for themselves first. I've been nursing 19 years and would not be happy pre-writing Rx.

When I first started dental nursing back in 1984 the dentist I worked for had 3 perscrpition pads out one was written up with Pen V tabs etc. another had DF111 which is now Metronidazole. the other was left blank. We were broken in to one night they took the written scripts which were unsigned
last we heard the scripts had been cashed in for the various tabs as the dentist had the scrpits stamped with the practice stamp and they had forged his signature which was on the blank ones.

Surely the dentistshould check what you've written before he signs. Ultimately responsibility woul liei with him/her. I seem to remember this coming up in a past paper when i was in college. A nurse can write a script as long as signed by a dentist. On saying that it was 24 years ago! :-/

Thanks Guys

I just thought it was good practice for the dentists to write them out. Obviously we are all gdc registered now and are accountable for our actions.. I just worry about writing a prescription out incorrectly and it coming back to bite me!! I personally will not write them out, It is the dentist who is the prescriber. We did ask our Clinical Director who informed me that Nurses can write them out as long as they are not stamped, signed or dated and that if we want we can have 200 pre written!! This shocked me!

I have spoken to our manager and we are agreed that as part of our practice policy, nurses are not permitted to do this.

Thanks for your thoughts on this as it seems to be a grey area.

I have written out prescriptions on occasion for my Dentist, she then signs it obviously. The issue for me would be pre writing prescriptions surely this isn't allowed? I would guess that would be the bigger legal issue, if there was one.

I cant see what the big deal is either, but I suppose that if there were to be any issues on it, then its you thats written it, even though the dentist has signed it..... who knows!!

I regularly write prescriptions. They are signed by a dentist so not really sure what the problem is. What about printed prescriptions they're not written by a dentist are they?

Hi,

I checked on the GDC website at "scope of practice" and it doesn't list this as part of our job role...

i read through the past GDC Gazettes and came across this:

The Medicines Act 1968 regulates the sale, supply and administration of all medicines available in the UK and classifies them into three groups, one of which is prescription only medicines, or POMs. POMs require a prescription to be written by a doctor, dentist or other ‘appropriate practitioner’.

and i found this on another site:

Who can write a prescription?
Guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), an executive agency of the Department of Health, states that only "appropriate practitioners" can prescribe medicine in the UK. Appropriate practitioners can be:

independent prescribers
supplementary prescribers
A prescriber is a healthcare professional who can write a prescription. This applies to both NHS prescriptions and private prescriptions.

Independent prescribers
Independent prescribers are healthcare professionals who are responsible for:

assessing your health
making clinical decisions about how to manage your condition, including prescribing medication
Independent practitioners include:

doctors, such as your GP or a hospital doctor
dentists, who may prescribe medication to treat a condition affecting your teeth
nurse independent prescribers, who can prescribe any medicine for any medical condition within their competence, including some controlled medicines (those that are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs legislation) for specific medical conditions
pharmacist independent prescribers, who can prescribe any medicine for any medical condition within their competence, except for controlled medicines
optometrist independent prescribers, who can prescribe any licensed medicine for conditions that affect the eye and surrounding tissue, but cannot prescribe any controlled medicines independently
Supplementary prescribers
Supplementary prescribers are responsible for continuing your care after an independent prescriber has assessed your health. They work with the independent prescriber to fulfil a clinical management plan agreed between the prescribers and you.

Supplementary prescribers include:

nurses
pharmacists
podiatrists (foot care specialists)
physiotherapists (healthcare professionals who use physical techniques, such as massage and manipulation, to promote healing)
diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers (specialists in using medical imaging techniques, such as X-rays)
optometrists (healthcare professionals who examine eyes, test sight and prescribe and dispense glasses and contact lenses)
A supplementary prescriber can prescribe any medicine, including controlled medicines, for any condition within their competence under the agreed clinical management plan.

So I would say no, but think the GDC need to clarify this as i've also been asked by dentists to write them out.

Hi All,

I'm new on here and was wondering if anyone could give me some advice? I'm Lead nurse in my practice and walked in on another nurse pre writing approx 15 prescriptions for duraphat following instructions from her dentist. They weren't signed or stamped but my first instinct was to tell her she was not to do it. Firstly because she is not permitted to as a nurse and secondly pre written prescriptions are a definate no no!! I am thinking along the lines that because it is her hand writing she can get herself into trouble regardless of whether the prescription is for toothpaste or antbiotics. Anyway I spoke with the manager who agreed we should shred the prescriptions. I politely spoke with the dentist and explained that i was not happy for nurses to do this and she was fine.
Anyway another dentist has taken it upon herself to get involved and has told the manager that there was nothing wrong with what the nurse had done and that i had thrown a "wobbler for no reason". And if they wanted to store pre written prescriptions it was upto them. My manager is none clinical and was not sure what to believe.
Have I over reacted to this or does anyone know what the rules are that apply to dental nurses? My main issue was the fact that is was the nurse who was writing it.

Many thanks