Registered nurses who complete extra education will be authorised to prescribe Schedule 2, 3, 4 and 8 medicines through a prescribing partnership with a nurse practitioner or doctor, starting in mid-2025, according to an announcement from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).
Last Friday, the country’s health ministers approved a new Registration standard: Endorsement for scheduled medicines – designated registered nurse prescriber (the standard), which will enable appropriately educated RNs to prescribe certain medications in partnership with an authorised health practitioner under a prescribing agreement.
The new endorsement, registration standard and guidelines are set to come into effect mid-2025.
To apply for the endorsement, RNs must demonstrate sufficient clinical experience and complete a postgraduate qualification. Additionally, they will be required to undergo a six-month clinical mentorship with an authorised health practitioner following endorsement, to further build their confidence in prescribing.
A key element of the new model is the prescribing agreement, a formal written document approved by a health organisation, service, or employer, which establishes the partnership between the designated RN prescriber and the authorised health practitioner (independent prescriber). The agreement clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of both parties and outlines any conditions within the designated RN prescriber’s scope of practice.
With nearly 400,000 registered nurses across Australia, the expansion of their scope of practice is geared at enhancing access to high-quality, reliable medicines, especially for people living in rural and remote areas. This change will also help alleviate pressure in both acute and primary care settings, where accessing timely appointments can often be a challenge.
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) says the prescribing model can improve resource use and enhance care coordination by allowing designated RN prescribers to manage medicines, freeing up other healthcare professionals to focus on other aspects of care.
“Australia is well-positioned to follow the lead of comparable healthcare systems where RN prescribing is already delivering successful outcomes,” NMBA Chair, Adjunct Professor Veronica Casey, said.
“Creating an environment where medicines are used safely and optimally, with a focus on informed choice and coordinated, person-centred care, enables equitable access to medicines without compromising public safety.”
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) has long advocated for the ability for all registered nurses and midwives being able to work to their full scope of practice – including partnership prescribing.
Since the initial consultation in 2016, the ANMF has played a key role in helping develop the NMBA designated RN prescribing registration standard and model.
ANMF Senior Federal Professional Officer Julianne Bryce emphasised that this landmark reform would significantly enhance both the quality of care and efficiency of Australia’s healthcare system.
“This is a game changer for the nursing profession, and it will lead to improved health outcomes for people requiring care,” Ms Bryce said.
“Experienced RNs are well placed to prescribe medicines in a safe, effective and timely way that leverages their expertise, allowing them to work to their full scope of practice whilst providing responsive, efficient person-centred care.”
18 Responses
How will RNs be compensated for the extra scope and corresponding risk associated with prescribing?
Great Initiative!
When I worked as a Remote Area Nurse in the days of no telephones, I would often have to prescribe medications, as did the senior Indigenous Aboriginal Health Workers in those bygone days. We did not contact doctors by the often tricky radio phone to ask if it was OK to give a particular antibiotoc for a particular illness, that we were well familiar with.
I do believe that additional training on medications is paramount to best practice.
Sign me up
A big no from me without cast renumeration increase….just cheap doctors
Great Initiative
Is there any information on what the post grad will be for this? How long etc?
Excellent! Have been working in gp land for 17 years and nursing for 24.
Have been wishing for this for many of those years
What medications are on the list ?
What are the criteria for prescription?
What qualifications they must have?
I believe that they must complete clinical pharmacology.
What course am I required to to do to enable me to prescribe scheduled medications
What work is being done or has been done to support MIDWIVES to utilise their endorsement in the public sector currently ..not allowed or supported to use endorsement ..in light of this agreement and change of practice for Nurses?
I am a RIPERN/RAN and have 20 years experience working in rural remote communities. This will be great especially for rural and remote communities where there is a shortage of doctors. I do think that we should have providor numbers will billing privileges including the ability to order basic pathology for STI screening and chronic disease management. If we are prescribing medicines then we also should be able to monitor the conditions we are proscribing for.
I would very much like to undergo these studies when available
What post graduate qualification is considered for this to occur?
How many years’ experience must one have to be able to be considered and does the RN select her own mentor NP and how does the NP complete the endorsement
I agree with you Gisela, there is far more to prescribing medications than just having the extended scope of being allowed to write a script. We also need to be able to adequately assess and monitor the person receiving the script/medication which needs to include the ordering of pathology and radiology (x-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound). This also needs to not be used as a less expensive alternative to replace the need for doctored, but to complement their practice in rural and remote communities. And then there is the remuneration for the additional study, responsibility and extended scope that also needs to be taken into account. I read this as if it is something that could be well utilised in rural and remote communities (unlikely to be integrated in metropolitan or moderately sized regional centres), as long as the health services are willing and able to implement it, which can be a challenge all on its own for so many reasons.
My respected colleagues some of you are throwing a question base on how and what course will you offer to enable you to prescribe, please go through the write of once more you will understand, they said after RN, post graduate, and six month clinical mentorship. That’s all
Seems a bit redundant my completing my Nurse Prac now. Why would health organisations create NP roles when they can have a RN do the prescribing.