Subject(s)
Drug Prescriptions , Drug Utilization , Nurse Practitioners , Adult , Data Collection , Humans , United StatesABSTRACT
Data derived through log recordings of 89 nurse practitioners (NPs) in adult/family practice on 7,086 prescriptions issued during 890 clinical days were analyzed to describe prescribing practices of NPs who held prescriptive authority from the licensing regulatory boards of five western states. Results showed drug utilization to be similar to physician prescribing data, and intensity of prescribing to be less than that of physicians. The distributions of prescriptions by drug category and in relation to health problems underlying prescriptions are reported. Confidence with prescribing by type of drugs was parallel to incidence of prescriptions within drug category. Physician consultation prior to prescribing occurred with highest incidence for health problems treated with least frequently prescribed drugs. Physician consultation or referral was reported for 14.3 per cent of prescriptions.
Subject(s)
Drug Prescriptions , Drug Utilization , Nurse Practitioners , Consumer Behavior , Data Collection , Educational Status , Family Practice , Humans , United StatesSubject(s)
Education, Nursing , Faculty, Nursing , Nursing , Socialization , Humans , Social Change , Social Values , United StatesABSTRACT
How can a nursing service convincingly argue for autonomy and accountability without an understanding of the precise meanings of these terms? In this second of two articles exploring the meanings and implications of autonomy and accountability in nursing service, Lewis and Batey arrive at this and other provocative questions. They analyze the concept of accountability and provide selected definitions of the concept by directors of nursing. Their discussion provides insights into the presence or absence of true accountability in nursing organizations and presents issues for further study.
Subject(s)
Nursing Service, Hospital/organization & administration , Social Responsibility , Decision Making , Humans , Nurse Administrators , Peer Review , Quality Assurance, Health Care , United StatesSubject(s)
Research Design , Set, Psychology , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Humans , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
This article analyzes functions and processes of research conceptualization. The most prevailing limitation of nursing research, as represented in its published literature, concerns the relevant use of knowledge and logic for the formulation of that which is to be studied. To that end, the components of the conceptual phase of research, as they develop progressively from the initiating question through the stipulation of the specific purpose of a study, are discussed. For each component emphasis is given to the function served by past knowledge toward the generation of new knowledge.
