NURSE PRESCRIBING. KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF POLISH NURSES IN THE EVE OF EXTENDING THEIR PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCES: CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

In Poland, since 1 January 2016 nurses who graduated from the master studies or hold a title of a specialist may ordain and prescribe specific medicines ("independent nurse prescribing" - INP). Nurses, who completed bachelor studies or hold a title of a specialist are allowed to prescribe drugs to continue the patient's treatment as ordered by a physician ("supplementary nurse prescribing" - SNP). The aim of this paper was to analyze the knowledge and attitudes of the Polish nurse specialists to their new professional rights in the independent ordaining of some drugs and drug prescribing. Participants were 902 women and 26 men. The age average was 42.4 (min. 26, max. 65, SD = 7.56, median: 43, mode: 40). 300 respondents - secondary medical education, 325 - the bachelor degree, 277 - the master degree. Own, validated questionnaire. Attitudes with answers based on the Likert scale (1-5) assessed by the nonparametric ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis test with the post-hoc analysis. The same statistical model was used in the evaluation of potential differences for the total scale of knowledge and attitudes.On average less than half of answers about the knowledge were correct (average of difficulty index was 39%). Nurses believe that the introduction of nurse prescribing will increase the nurse's control of the therapeutic process (mean: 3.22/5). No significant differences between the attitudes of respondents with different education level (p = 0.206; H = 3.160). 55% of nurses supports the introduction of INP. Respondents with the master education significantly more frequently support INP than those with secondary education (p = 0.001; z = 3.685). The knowledge of nurses on the extension of their professional rights is unsatisfactory and requires urgent complementation. The health policy makers should consider an extensive information campaign, especially in the group of nurses with advanced practice who will have prescribing competences. Nurses' attitudes to nurse prescribing are generally positive. Concerns expressed are the same as in the opinions of nurses from countries where the professional rights underwent extension earlier.