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The Medicines (Standing Order) Amendment Regulations 2011 allow medicines to be supplied or administered to a patient by a nurse in the absence of a medical practitioner and without a prescription. Regulations have been in place since 2002, but no substantive research has occurred in New Zealand concerning their use.

This paper reports a survey of registered nurses (RNs) who work in primary health care (PHC) settings and explores aspects of their practice relating to their use of standing orders.

A self-reported survey using a non-probability sample of RNs working in PHC who use standing orders in their practice (n=231). Data were analysed descriptively.

The sample were experienced RNs (mean 24 years since registration) and 53% have a postgraduate qualification. Some nurses’ understanding of a standing order included provision of a prescription to a …