Communication skills: revisiting the fundamentals T here has been signiicant development in the UK with regard to nurse prescribing over the last two decades, with resultant beneits in improved patient concordance and clinical decision making, fewer pharmacological interventions and cost-efectiveness (An Bord Altranais/Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), 2005). Several reports issued by the Department of Health (DH) over consecutive years have paved the way for changes in both nursing practice and legislation that provide for nurse prescribing in certain circumstances (DH, 1989; 1998; 1999; 2005a; 2005b). Initial evolvements in this advanced scope of practice meant that nurses typically prescribed using the group protocol method, termed as patient group directions, which provide a multidisciplinary evidence-based directive pathway for prescribing in a certain client group. here are currently around 140 medications permitted for prescription by nurses in the UK within this framework (An Bord Altranais/NMC, 2005). his was expanded in 2003 with amendments to legislation to provide for the prescription of certain controlled drugs. Since 2003 there has also been provision to prescribe in a semi-autonomous collaborative fashion following an initial assessment of the patient and a treatment plan is in place. his supplementary prescribing provides for registered nurses to prescribe from a broad range of medications and manage more complex health conditions, without the need for a designated medication formulary. Discretion is also applied with regard to dosage alteration and frequency, unlike the group protocols (DH, 2005b). Bradley et al (2007) summarize nurse prescribing models currently in use the Fiona Timmins Fiona Timmins is Senior Lecturer for the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College, Dublin Email: fiona.timmins@tcd.ie UK as supplementary and independent. he number of prescribers and diferences between the two are described thus: an estimated 1400 supplementary prescribers may prescribe from the entire British National Formulary, with the exception of controlled drugs, once a clinical management plan has been established. Approximately 1800 independent nurse prescribers are restricted to items in the Extended Nurse Prescribers’ Formulary (ENPF) (Bradley et al, 2007). Education and training Education and training for nurse prescribers in the UK comprises a course that takes place over a 3–6 month period, including 26 taught days in a university and 12 clinical days under the supervision of a medical practitioner (An Bord Altranais/NMC, 2005). Currently, a minimum of 3 years’ post-registration nursing experience is recommended before beginning the course or prescribing (NHS & DH, 2005) and facilities for continuing professional development (CPD) are inconsistent, although strongly recommended (Otway, 2007). While there are obviously several vital aspects to the role of nurse prescriber that need initial preparation and ongoing development, this paper is concerned with one particular area: communication skills. Communication skills Communication skills, including information giving and listening, were ranked the single most important skills that nurse prescribers must possess Abstract In the UK, nurses are increasingly involved in medication management with both independent and supplementary prescribing being common practice. While specific mandatory training and education exists, there is little development by way of continuing professional development, although this is deemed important. In this context, nurses who are keen to evaluate or develop their skills may appreciate revisiting the key communication requirements of the nurse prescribing role. In the first of of a series of three, this article aims to provide a brief overview of fundamental theory in relation to communication skills, as the first step to address knowledge gaps that may exist. This will be followed in parts two and three with a more in-depth look at information giving and the communication challenges that may exist. Nurse Prescribing 2007 Vol 5 No 9 395 Better practice iStockphoto.com