Views:

Nurse indepenent prescribers

Nurse independent prescribers can prescribe any medicine for any medical condition within their level of experience and competence. This includes:

  • Prescription Only Medicines (POMs)
  • licensed medicines
  • unlicensed medicines

Independent prescribers can also prescribe all Schedule 2, 3, 4 and 5 Controlled Drugs except diamorphine, dipipanone or cocaine for the treatment of addiction.

They can also prescribe any appliance or chemical reagent listed in the Drug Tariff.

Paramedic independent prescribers

A paramedic independent prescriber may prescribe some controlled drugs for the treatment of organic disease or injury provided the controlled drug is prescribed to be administered by the specified method.

The controlled drugs they can prescribe are:

  • Morphine sulphate by oral administration or injection
  • Diazepam by oral administration or injection
  • Midazolam by oromucosal administration or injection
  • Lorazepam by injection
  • Codeine phosphate by oral administration

Paramedic independent prescribers cannot prescribe unlicensed medicines.