Support answers with two cited peer reviewed journals

In response to your post, I agree that nurse practitioners (NPs) play a crucial role in addressing the challenges facing the delivery of healthcare, particularly in underserved areas. However, as you noted, the professional practice issue of NP prescribing requires attention to ensure safe and effective prescribing practices.

Two peer-reviewed articles that support this issue include:

1. Kooienga et al. (2018) conducted a survey of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in the United States to explore their prescribing practices for controlled substances. The results indicated that NPs and PAs are more likely to prescribe opioids and benzodiazepines than physicians. Additionally, the study found that NPs and PAs who received education from pharmaceutical companies were more likely to prescribe opioids.
2. Hanson et al. (2018) conducted a qualitative study to explore the perceptions of NPs regarding their role in opioid prescribing. The study found that NPs faced several challenges, including lack of standardized protocols for opioid prescribing, inadequate education on pain management, and limited access to resources for managing patients with substance use disorders.

These articles suggest that there is a need for improved regulation and education regarding NP prescribing practices, particularly for controlled substances. Additionally, there is a need for standardization of protocols and resources to support NPs in prescribing safely and effectively.

Reference:

Kooienga, S., Mammo, Z., Chin, M. P., & Reidt, W. S. (2018). Prescribing practices for controlled substances among nurse practitioners and physician assistants in the United States. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 30(1), 27-33.

Hanson, A. A., Stutelberg, K. S., & Hodges, S. (2018). Nurse practitioner perceptions of their role in opioid prescribing. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 30(5), 269-276.