Madam, - Mary Harney is surprised that under current legislation, nurses "can't even give somebody a Panadol" (The Irish Times, November 5th). In fact nurses can administer a Panadol, but only if prescribed by a doctor.
No doubt this was Ms Harney's point. Yet this drug and many others can be purchased in a supermarket. Is it is now likely that the Minister will hasten the change in our scope of practice? I hope so. However, a project undertaken by An Bord Altranais to review prescribing and administering practices of nurses, which was due to conclude this September, has already been extended to Spring 2005.
As a nurse, it is refreshing to hear the new Minister for Health acknowledging the value of advanced nurse practitioners, and their positive contribution to the patient experience in one Dublin Accident and Emergency Department.
These nurses are highly experienced in clinical practice, they are autonomous practitioners, educated to master's degree level or higher, and work in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team.
The Tánaiste has also quickly recognised how much more nurses can contribute by advocating the development of nurse-led services throughout the Irish health care system.
To prevent people opting out of the profession, I totally concur with Ms Harney that clinical career paths are the way forward, however, remuneration for nurses in line with other professions, would also help to address the retention problem, and so reduce our reliance on nurses from overseas. - Yours, etc.,
JOSEPHINE O'DONOGHUE, Druid Valley, Cabinteely, Dublin 18.