A Tool to Teach and Assess Clinical Nurse Specialist Student Prescribing Competency

Abstract

Purpose/Aims The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of a tool designed to develop and evaluate clinical nurse specialist (CNS) student competency and confidence in prescribing therapeutic agents. Specifically, the aims were to identify students’ perceptions of the tool’s (1) helpfulness in learning to prescribe, (2) impact on confidence as a prescriber, and (3) recommended use in CNS education. Design An exploratory design was used. Methods Students used the tool in patient care with a supervising mentor during clinical rotations. Students completed surveys after using the tool at 2 points in time. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the 18 students, 5 students completed the survey at time 1 and 6 students at time 2. The aims were met in that students perceived the tool to be helpful during CNS prescribing activities, felt confident about prescribing after using the tool, and agreed the tool should be used in CNS education. Conclusion Replication of the study with larger samples of CNS students and psychometric analyses of the tool is recommended by the study’s findings to support its use in CNS education beyond the study site.