Post- graduate nursing students’ attitude and readiness of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences for nursing prescription and its relationship with their self-efficacy in patient care in 1401

Abstract

Abstract Background & Aim: In many countries, nurses serve as prescribers in the healthcare system to manage acute and chronic diseases. Nurse prescribing can be affected by specific variables, one of which is the nurses' self-efficacy. This study aimed to determine Iranian postgraduate nursing students’ attitudes and readiness for prescribing and its relationship with their self-efficacy in patient care. Methods and Materials: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on 220 postgraduate nursing students of Tabriz school of nursing and midwifery, Iran, from Dec 2022 to Mar 2023. The census sampling method was employed to reach out to all students, and data were collected using a three-part questionnaire: demographics, the nurse prescribing, and self-efficacy questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS-26 software. Results: Postgraduate nursing students displayed a positive attitude and strong readiness for prescribing; and they had a strong sense of self-efficacy in patient care. However, participants received the lowest mean score in their knowledge of pharmacology and decisiveness dimension of self-efficacy. There were a positive significant correlation between the attitudes and readiness of participants for prescribing and their self-efficacy (r=0.286, r=0.55, P<0001). Doctoral students and students with more clinical work experience had a positive attitude and were more prepared to prescribe, and also had more self-efficacy than others. Conclusion: Given postgraduate nursing students' positive attitudes toward prescribing, readiness to assume this responsibility, and high self-efficacy for patient care, it is possible to prepare them for this new role by improving their pharmacological knowledge and strengthening their decisiveness skills, especially doctoral nursing students.