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The coming into force this week of regulations allowing suitably qualified registered nurses to prescribe for straightforward conditions is "absolutely fantastic", says chief nursing officer Dr Jane O'Malley.

This was echoed by the chief executive of the New Zealand Nursing Organisation, Memo Musa, who congratulated the government for bringing about the new regulations making the move possible.

The regulations allow appropriately-qualified registered nurses, working in collaborative teams within primary health care and specialist services, to apply for authorisation from the Nursing Council to prescribe for common and long-term conditions.

This week Pharmac also announced related amendments to the Pharmaceutical Schedule to ensure that patients prescribed medicines by the new registered nurse prescribers can access Pharmac medicine subsidies.

O'Malley pointed out that nurses have been prescribing since the first nurse practitioner (NP) was authorised to prescribe 12 years ago. Also registered nurses had been delivering care using prescribing standing orders as part of collaborative teams for many years.  "This (the new regulations) will actually just improve the transparency of that process  - so nurses take responsibility for their own prescribing actions."

She said it was a great milestone, would improve access for people to medicines and help to relieve the pressure on demands for health services in a really safe way. "We've already tested it through diabetes nurse prescribing, we've had NPs prescribing for a long time and the Nursing Council has clearly set out the qualifications, the minimum experience and the requirements for supervision."

Musa said the introduction of RN prescribing backed what nurses already knew. "That is that New Zealanders trust nurses and nurses are comfortable prescribing and administering medication."

"It is encouraging for nurses to see the healthcare model changing to meet their patients’ needs better," he said. "This widened ability will also benefit poorer families, working families and those who live in rural areas, as it is a more efficient way to get access to basic medicines."

The main pathway to become a registered nurse prescriber will be through the new postgraduate diploma in prescribing but from October 1 nurses who have completed an equivalent qualification can apply to the Nursing Council for authorisation. (See earlier article).